Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine Corp, Asia's biggest container shipping group, has reported on a major year-on-year decline for the second quarter of 2009, recording a loss of US$60.2m from a profit of US$25.2m last year.

The result marks the third consecutive loss-making quarter for the group as customers continue to cut back amid the global economic downturn.

Sales for the three-month period the end of June fell 28 per cent to US$124.6m, according to the group.

For the first six months of 2009, Evergreen said that the group made a year-on-year loss of US$143.2m, compared with a profit of US$36.5m in the first half last year.