“Geopolitical conflicts have become bigger drivers of the shipping industry in recent years compared to underlying industry fundamentals,” says Raman Singla, Fitch’s director of corporate ratings. “We expect container shipping fundamentals to weaken in 2026, while other shipping segments should remain stable.”
In light of ongoing geopolitical and policy risks, Fitch Ratings is maintaining its deteriorating outlook for global shipping into 2026.
Fitch expects weaker GDP growth across most major economies to negatively impact the sector on a y-o-y basis, with downside risk from any correction in the financial markets.
