Wärtsilä, a Finnish firm specialising in sustainable technologies for the marine and energy markets, has said the high level of uncertainty in the market makes forward-looking statements ‘challenging’, as it announced its interim results for the period from January to September 2025.
‘Due to high geopolitical uncertainty, the changing landscape of global trade, and the lack of clarity related to tariffs, there are risks of postponements in investment decisions and of global economic activity slowing down,’ the Helsinki-based firm said.
It reported a 5% decline in net sales in the third quarter, to €1,632 million, however comparable operating profit rose by 10% to €195 million, representing 11.9% of net sales. Order intake remained ‘stable’, at €1,790 million, compared to €1,803 million a year earlier.
In the nine-month period from January to September, net sales were up 7% to €4,912 million, compared to €4,595 million a year earlier.
‘Uncertain environment’
President and CEO Håkan Agnevall commented that the overall macroeconomic environment “remained uncertain” during the third quarter, with the full impact of US-imposed tariffs remaining “unclear” at present.
He noted that electricity demand continues to grow due to expanding electrification and data centre use, while the “growing deployment of renewable energy is transforming power systems and increasing the need for flexible generation capacity.”
This, in turn, led to increased customer activity at Wärtsilä, including a contract to supply 12 Wärtsilä 50DF engines to a power plant in Kentucky.
In the marine market, activity has improved following a “slow start to the year”, Agnevall added, however demand for alternative-fuel-capable vessels “remained strong”, representing 48% of contracted capacity so far in 2025.
Net Zero Framework
Wärtsilä noted that the recent postponement of the IMO’s Net Zero Framework by one year will likely lead to a ‘fragmented landscape’ of carbon pricing mechanisms introduced by individual regions and countries, which are likely to add complexity to global shipping.
“At Wärtsilä, we offer a broad and flexible portfolio of technologies to support a wide range of decarbonisation strategies,” said Agnevall. “We are helping our customers navigate the transition by optimising fuel efficiency and de-risking the future through fuel flexibility, leveraging hybrid solutions, alternative fuels, and carbon capture.”
Wärtsilä employs around 18,300 people in 77 countries and reported €6.4 billion in net sales in full year 2024. Read more here.
