Container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd's fleet consumed 3.6 million mt of bunker fuel in the first nine months of 2026, down 3.8% from the corresponding period last year.
Despite the lower consumption, bunker and emissions expenses increased by 15.5% to $2.45 billion in the first nine months, compared with $2.12 billion for the same period a year earlier, according to the firm’s quarterly financial report released today.
On a quarterly basis, bunker and emissions expenses reached $910 million in Q3 2026, up from $699 million in the same period last year.
The increase was mainly driven by higher bunker prices.
Hapag-Lloyd's average bunker price rose to $635/mt in the first nine months of this year, up from $535/mt in the same period last year.
The company's expenses for CO2 emission certificates also increased to $170 million from $112 million.
Overall, transport expenses rose by 9.2% to $12.87 billion, compared with $11.78 billion a year earlier.
Hapag-Lloyd attributed the increase in operating costs primarily to the conflict in the Middle East, associated vessel rerouting, longer transit times, operational disruptions at several ports and higher bunker prices.
The company reported that the conflict continued to affect its operations during the period, while the reduction in bunker consumption helped partly offset the impact of higher fuel prices.
By comparison, A.P. Moller-Maersk’s fleet consumed 7.59 million FOE tonnes of bunker fuels, down 5.2% from 8.01 million FOE tonnes.
