Container CEO Sees ‘Surprising’ Level of Demand: Supply Lines

Surprisingly healthy demand for container shipping will help underpin ocean freight rates into the second half of 2026 as carriers try to adapt to the 10-week closure of the Strait of Hormuz and soaring energy costs.

Those were among the takeaways from a Bloomberg TV interview Wednesday with Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen. He said the world’s fifth-biggest carrier is facing about $250 million in additional monthly costs since the Iran war started on Feb. 28 — about half the level No. 2 Maersk cited last week.

Habben Jansen said demand has been a little surprising on the ...