Container Shippers Face Scrutiny Over Tonnage Tax Breaks

Container shipping lines have achieved significant profitability while operating under a tonnage tax regime designed decades ago to protect a fragmented, struggling industry. Maersk's Q3 2026 results, showing substantial profit before tax alongside single-digit tax rates, have reignited debate about whether this tax structure remains appropriate for a fundamentally transformed, highly profitable sector that now operates under different competitive dynamics.