Danish shipping company Maersk reported a significant drop in first-quarter net profit, falling to $100 million from a year earlier, due to weaker freight rates in its Ocean division, despite a 9.3% rise in overall business volumes. Revenue decreased by 2.6% to nearly $13 billion. While the conflict in the Middle East and associated Strait of Hormuz disruptions had a limited direct impact on these results, Maersk warned of added uncertainty and maintained its 2026 outlook, still expecting global container demand to grow by 2% to 4%. The company anticipates ongoing volatility due to excess shipping capacity and potential delays in the reopening of key trade routes.