China COSCO Holdings Co. Ltd. said on January 25 that it expected to lose money in 2012, but it did not reveal the exact figure.

The announcement could mean the biggest state-owned shipping firm in China will become the largest A-share company ever to receive the Shanghai Stock Exchange's (SSE) "special treatment" tag, which warns investors it is risky.

This would be the second straight year that COSCO reported a loss. In 2011, it lost 10.4 billion yuan. The company reported losses of 6.4 billion yuan for the first three quarters of 2012.

If a company reports two straight years of losses, the SSE will designate its shares "special treatment" and remind investors to be aware of risks. If COSCO records another loss in 2013, it will be delisted from the stock market temporarily. If the streak reaches four years, the company will be formally delisted.

COSCO attributed its 2012 losses to weak demand, low shipping prices and rising costs.

The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), a barometer for dry bulk shipping, fell 40.6 percent in 2012 from a year earlier, indicating weakened global demand, COSCO said.

The market's prospects will not be worse in 2013 than they were in 2012, company said.

COSCO also said it was undergoing reforms. It will eliminate old ships and control costs for fuel, operations and administration.

COSCO earned a profit of 17.5 billion yuan in 2008, but lost 7.5 billion yuan in 2009 as the global financial crisis bit. In 2010, it had a net profit of 6.76 billion yuan.