A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S CEO said the recent oil shock triggered by the Iran conflict will lift the container carrier’s operating costs this quarter and into the next. The company, the world’s second‑largest liner, plans to shift the added expense entirely onto shippers without absorbing any margin pressure now.

Maersk’s pricing model traditionally includes fuel surcharges that adjust with bunker price movements. With crude prices spiking after the Middle‑East flare‑up, the surcharge baseline will rise sharply, prompting the firm to revise its published customer rates for the upcoming season. Customers will see freight invoices across trade lanes.

Analysts warn that passing the full cost burden could compress volumes as price‑sensitive importers reassess shipping budgets. Smaller shippers, already strained by inventory pressures, may switch to slower, lower‑priced services or consolidate shipments, potentially eroding Maersk’s market share in congested corridors especially on routes linking Asia and Europe.

Investors will watch how quickly the rate hikes translate into revenue, given that the carrier’s profit margins already sit under pressure from global trade slowdowns. If customers absorb the increase, Maersk could sustain earnings; if not, the shock may trigger a short‑term dip in earnings per share significantly.