The Group is expanding further in France and Europe and stepping up its presence in strategic markets such as the United States, India, the Middle East and Brazil.
The Board of Directors of the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, met on May 16 under the chairmanship of Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, to review the financial statements for the first quarter of 2025, the Group's press release said.
Revenue stood at USD 13.3 billion in the first quarter of 2025, driven mostly by the Group’s maritime shipping business. EBITDA totaled USD 3.1 billion, 29.1% higher than in first-quarter 2024. EBITDA margin came in at 23.3%, up 3.1 points.
Shipping
CMA CGM carried 5.8 million TEUs in the first quarter of 2025, up 4.2% from the prior-year period. The increase can be attributed to sustained global trade and demand for freight transport in the first quarter.
Logistics
In the first quarter, the Group's logistics activities continued to grow, boosted in particular by the consolidation of Bolloré Logistics on February 29, 2024, and good momentum in Contract Logistics. Automotive market challenges hampered the performance of the Finished Vehicle Logistics and Road Haulage businesses, particularly in Europe. Revenue from logistics activities totaled USD 4.3 billion in the first quarter of the year. EBITDA stood at USD 399 million, a 10.5% increase on first-quarter 2024.
Consolidated revenue from maritime shipping operations amounted to USD 8.8 billion over the quarter, up 11.5% year on year. EBITDA totaled USD 2.5 billion, 30.0% higher than in first-quarter 2024. EBITDA margin came in at 28.9%, up 4.1 points. Average revenue per TEU amounted to USD 1,498, up 7.1% year on year.
Revenue from other activities (port terminals, CMA CGM Air Cargo, CMA Media, etc.) increased by 30.9% to USD 833 million. EBITDA rose by 91.5% to USD 157 million, driven by the inclusion of RMC BFM in the scope of consolidation and a good performance in terminals and air freight.
Outlook
The start of 2025 was shaped by a deteriorating geopolitical environment and the announcement of a significant increase in customs duties by countries such as the United States and China. If fully implemented, such measures could have a long-term impact on international trade volumes, while the Red Sea shipping disruptions observed throughout 2024 persist. Visibility of trends in global trade remains limited and depends on potential tariff policy announcements and new geopolitical developments.
Effective capacity management, cost control, route diversification, and transformation through investment in optimization, monitoring and forecasting technologies are essential to maintaining competitiveness.
The CMA CGM Group is taking care to adapt to this complex environment and anticipate market dynamics in order to seize profitable growth opportunities while limiting the risks associated with this phase of instability.
Commenting on the results for the period, Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, said: «In an unstable geopolitical context marked by unprecedented trade tensions, the Group delivered solid performance in the first quarter, driven by the strength of our shipping activity and our long-term investments, particularly in terminals. While the outlook for the rest of the year remains uncertain, our direction is clear: control our costs, strengthen our positions in growth markets, and enhance our commercial agility, notably by leveraging artificial intelligence, to meet our customers’ expectations.»