Container volumes at the developed world ports run by Dubai’s DP World have suffered double-digit falls during the first two months of this year, in the latest sign of the severe crisis to affect the container shipping and ports industry.

The company, the world’s fourth-largest container terminal operator, announced the sharp falls in markets such as the UK and Belgium on Wednesday as it published 2008 post-tax profits up 48 per cent to $621m, on revenue up 20 per cent to $3.28bn.