A 20% to 25% slump in container shipping volumes forecast in the second quarter of 2020 by AP Moller-Maersk could cost the Danish liner giant up to $1bn, executives revealed on Wednesday.

However, the loss would be offset by much lower fuel prices and freight rates held high by capacity cuts.

In an analyst’s conference call about the group’s first-quarter result, chief executive Soren Skou pointed to a $125m hit to Ebitda in the first three months caused by a 3.2%