More sustainability instead of more dividends
At Hapag-Lloyd’s annual meeting on 30 April, the environmental group Nabu and the Dachverband der Kritischen Aktionärinnen und Aktionäre (German association of critical shareholders) criticised that the company does not give sufficient priority to environmental and climate protection. They argued that profits should be invested in sustainable technologies rather than distributed as dividends.
Nabu's Lukas Leppert highlighted the continued reliance on LNG, which has a severe impact on climate due to methane leakage, and the increase in the use of heavy oil. He called for a shift to e-fuels from green hydrogen and immediate efficiency improvements.
Markus Dufner criticised the proposed EUR 9.25 per share dividend as excessive, given the profit drop in 2023, and suggested that funds should instead advance the fleet's sustainability. The association demands that dividend payouts should be limited to 40% of corporate profits. (pb)