Trump makes a comeback, causing a collective decline in the stock prices of shipping giants

With Trump announcing his victory in the US presidential election on November 6th, the shipping market quickly responded.

On that day, the stock prices of several shipping companies fell, among which Maersk Line fell 6.37%, Hapag Lloyd fell 9.96%, Star Shipping fell 4.51%, Evergreen Shipping fell 0.50%, and Wanhai Shipping fell 1.10%.

The collective decline in stock prices of shipping companies reflects that Trump's "comeback" may have a direct impact on the shipping industry.

Industry insiders believe that Trump's core policies include raising tariffs, implementing trade protectionism, and promoting the return of American manufacturing, which will have a significant impact on global trade flows. During his first term, Trump imposed high tariffs on Chinese exports to the United States and returned to the White House. He had previously stated that he would continue to implement high tariff policies, which would bring more risks and uncertainties to the shipping market, especially the container transportation market.

In the short term, in order to avoid being affected by tariffs, American importers will purchase goods from China in advance, which will bring a wave of shipment peaks and promote a simultaneous increase in market volume and price. Some American freight economists even said, "If Trump announces tariffs on goods imported from China starting from 2026, 2025 could become the craziest year for the container shipping market

However, in the long run, after a brief surge in demand, the global container shipping market may once again fall into a trough due to excess inventory and trade wars. At the same time, high tariffs can also trigger inflation, which is not conducive to stimulating consumption and reducing transportation demand.

Industry insiders also analyzed that although Trump raised the banner of tariffs, it cannot be ruled out that it was a "campaign language". Tariffs between countries will eventually sit down for negotiations, and the ultimate result may be mutual concessions, which could increase the export volume of the United States.

The above-mentioned person stated that currently, the container loading rate of the Asia US westward route is only 50%. If other countries increase their import volume from the United States, it is also good news for shipping companies. In addition to increasing revenue, it can also reduce the loss of empty containers returning to Asia.

Regardless, shipping companies must be prepared to deal with difficult times, especially with Trump's erratic style of action, which often goes against common sense and greatly increases uncertainty in the shipping market.

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