CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping company, is reporting a sharp rise in outbound China cargo demand following the recent 90-day tariff reduction agreement between the United States and China—signaling a rebound in transpacific trade after months of disruption.
Read also: CMA CGM’s Strategic Fleet Reorganization Amid U.S. Port Fees
The French shipping giant, controlled by the Saadé family, said bookings for exports from China to the U.S. have bounced back dramatically since the temporary tariff relief was announced earlier this week.
“Trade will restart on this route very, very vigorously in the coming weeks and months,” said CFO Ramon Fernandez during CMA CGM’s Q1 earnings presentation, describing the agreement as “an indisputably positive signal for maritime transport.”
Fernandez noted that the surge in cargo volumes is mirroring the steep decline that followed the imposition of triple-digit tariffs by both countries. “There’s clearly a catch-up effect under way. With uncertainty beyond the 90-day window, shippers are likely to frontload volumes through the first half of the year,” he added.
The rebound comes as CMA CGM and other global carriers—including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd—grapple with volatile demand, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting trade flows. Transpacific spot rates, which had sagged earlier in the year, have begun trending upward again since the tariff truce.
Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, CMA CGM posted strong first-quarter results, with net income rising to $1.12 billion from $785 million a year earlier. Shipping volumes grew by 4.2% and revenue climbed 11.5%.
However, Fernandez acknowledged the company continues to face significant challenges, including continued disruptions in the Red Sea. Houthi attacks on commercial vessels have forced rerouting of CMA CGM ships around the Cape of Good Hope, with only intermittent Red Sea crossings under French or Italian military escort.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has proposed new levies on Chinese-built ships—a move CMA CGM says it can manage. “Less than half our fleet was built in China,” said Fernandez. “We’ll adapt by reallocating vessels built elsewhere to U.S. ports.”
CMA CGM has also committed to investing $20 billion in the U.S. over four years, creating 10,000 jobs in shipping and logistics, according to CEO Rodolphe Saadé, who appeared alongside former President Trump in March.
The company maintains close ties with Chinese carriers through the OCEAN Alliance, which includes Cosco Shipping, Evergreen Line, and OOCL. That agreement was recently extended through 2032. Fernandez said the U.S. government has not raised concerns about the alliance.
As global trade patterns shift and diplomacy remains uncertain, CMA CGM appears poised to benefit—at least in the short term—from a sudden resurgence in demand and rising freight rates across critical east-west routes.