Donald Trump's victory in U.S. presidential elections gives mixed signals for global shipping, as positive macroeconomic impulses could be countered by the damaging effects of tariffs, said the head of Hapag-Lloyd Thursday.

"On the one hand, stocks responded positively, which could be a pointer to more economic growth in future," said CEO Rolf Habben Jansen in an interview with Reuters after an earnings release, when asked about prospects under a Trump administration.

"But there is this discussion about tariffs, which could put a few brakes on the world," he added. Trump had made import tariffs a tenet of his campaign pitch.

Shipping, where Hapag-Lloyd is the fifth biggest player, is a proxy for trade and a health barometer for the global economy.