Maersk net profit of 2.1bn dollar in 1H

“We deliver a fairly satisfactory result for the second quarter, and we are on the right track. Container rates have been improved, Maersk Line is back in black figures and our other core growth businesses are executing well on strategy. We can still improve and will continue our strong focus on profitability to deliver a satisfactory full-year result. We also maintain our investments in long-term growth, not least in developing our many oil discoveries towards production,” says Group CEO Nils S. Andersen.

Q2:

• Maersk Line’s volumes increased by 11% to 2.2m FFE and the average freight rate

increased by 4.2% to 3,014 USD/FFE.

• Maersk Oil’s profit for the period was USD 468m (USD 694m). The result was negatively affected by a 17% decline in share of production to 287,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) compared to 346,000 boepd in Q2 2011.

• APM Terminals’ profit for the period was USD 160m (USD 162m). Throughput increased by 7% and by 5% on a likefor-like basis to 9.1m teu (8.4m teu). The West Africa region and some terminals in Asia saw double digit growth rates, whereas most European terminals experienced declining throughput in Q2.

• Maersk Drilling’s profit for the period was USD 101m (USD 99m). The result was positively impacted by reversal of impairments of USD 30m and negatively impacted by two rigs requiring extensive maintenance and upgrade before start-up of operations.

1H:

• Maersk Line made a loss of USD 0.4bn (profit of USD 0.3bn). The volume increased by 15% to 4.4m FFE and average freight rates, including bunker surcharges, were 2% lower.

• Maersk Oil’s profit for the first six months was USD 1.8bn (USD 1.2bn) positively affected by the one-off tax income of USD 0.9bn from the settlement of an Algerian tax dispute and a gain from a partial divestment of interests in Brazil. This was partly offset by a decline in the Group’s share of oil and gas production of 21% to 269,000 boepd in the first half of 2012 (342,000 boepd), primarily due to a lower share of production in Qatar, Denmark and the UK.

• APM Terminals made a profit of USD 395m (USD 303m) including divestment gains of USD 116m (USD 7m) before tax. Container throughput increased by 9% compared to the same period 2011, and 5% on a like-for-like basis, primarily driven by high growth rates in West Africa.

• Maersk Drilling realised a profit of USD 226m (USD 221m). Extensive maintenance and upgrade of two rigs were offset by reversal of impairment of USD 30m.

Source: Maersk