Hapag-Lloyd more than trebles H1 net profit, sees economic uncertainty

A Hapag Lloyd container ship is loaded at the shipping terminal Altenwerder in the harbour of Hamburg, Germany August 15, 2016. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/

Company keeps FY 2022 forecasts for EBITDA, EBIT
Profits to go towards dividend, possible investment
Prospects spoiled by macroeconomic reversal, costs
CEO tells Reuters he expects a cooling off in Q4

FRANKFURT, Aug 11 (Reuters) – German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd (HLAG.DE) on Thursday posted a net profit of 8.7 billion euros ($8.94 billion) for the first half of 2022, more than three times as much as a year earlier, but said war in Ukraine and the coronavirus crisis somewhat clouded its prospects.

The company, the world’s fifth-biggest container line, upheld forecasts made on July 28 for full year 2022 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation to range between 18.2 billion and 20.1 billion euros, and for…