Container shipping companies were on newbuild ordering spree during 2022 with the majority of them ordering new boxships driven by all-time record freight rates. However, the share of chartered vessels remains – in some cases extremely – high in most of the ocean carriers.
Container News presents the following list that includes the top 10 container shipping companies in terms of the TEU capacity of their chartered vessels, according to Alphaliner’s data at the end of December 2022.
1. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) – 2,511,900 TEUs (55% share of the overall fleet capacity)
The Swiss/Italian ocean carrier, which is the largest box shipping line in the world, owns a total fleet size of 730 vessels, carrying approximately 23 million TEUs annually. MSC’s service network connects 150 countries in the world via more than 260 trade routes.
MSC achieved to become the largest container carrier in the world in January 2022, dethroning Maersk from the top after more than 25 years.
2. CMA CGM – 1,806,200 TEUs (53% share)
CMA CGM has a 40-year history and is the world’s second-largest container carrier in terms of chartered carrying capacity and the third one when it comes to overall container capacity.
The name of the French shipping group is derived from the French words Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement (CMA) and Compagnie Générale Maritime (CGM), which mean “Maritime Freighting Company” and “General Maritime Company,” respectively.
3. A.P. Moller – Maersk – 1,683,800 TEUs (40% share)
A.P. Moller – Maersk is a container shipping company located in Copenhagen, Denmark transporting about 20% of the world’s food, commodities, and commerce across 130 countries.
APM Terminals, Hamburg Süd, Damco, Svitzer, and Seago Line are among the more than 900 companies owned by the Danish shipping conglomerate.
4. COSCO Shipping Lines – 1,303,000 TEUs (45% share)
The Chinese shipping giant has a total fleet size of 489 vessels and a service network calling 576 ports, while it offers over 400 trade routes connecting 140 regions.
In the latest years, COSCO has expanded its presence in the port sector via its subsidiary COSCO SHIPPING Ports taking over the operations of several key ports and terminals across the world.
5. Ocean Network Express (ONE) – 741,300 TEUs (48% share)
Ocean Network Express (ONE) is a Singapore-headquartered ocean carrier jointly owned by the Japanese shipping lines Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and K-Line. Launched in 2017 as a joint venture, ONE inherited the container shipping operations of its three parent companies.
ONE has a global fleet of over 250 vessels and is in fifth place in the ranking of chartered carrying capacity
6. Evergreen Marine Corporation – 710,200 TEUs (43% share)
Evergreen Line, established in May 2007, is the common trading name for the container shipping companies of the Evergreen Group, which includes Evergreen Marine Corp. (Taiwan) Ltd., Italia Marittima S.p.A., Evergreen Marine (UK) Ltd., Evergreen Marine (Hong Kong) Ltd., and Evergreen Marine (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
Evergreen provides services across a diverse range of trade routes worldwide, carrying over 10 million TEUs annually, connecting 101 countries, and handling more than 150 trade routes.
7. Hapag – Lloyd – 671,300 TEUs (38% share)
Hapag-Lloyd is one of the world’s top ocean carriers for transatlantic, Middle East, Latin American, and intra-American trading and has around 250 vessels, 12 million TEUs yearly, and over 14,500 personnel in over 400 offices in 137 countries.
Hapag-Lloyd has a fleet with a vessel capacity of 1.8 million TEUs and owns a container fleet of 3 million TEUs, including one of the world’s largest and most advanced refrigerated container fleets.
8. ZIM Integrated Shipping Services – 505,100 TEUs (95% share)
ZIM was established in Israel in 1945, with its headquarters being located in Haifa. The company’s activities have been expanded to approximately 100 countries, with around 30,000 consumers served in over 350 ports globally. ZIM’s ships have a capacity of 533,832 TEUs, and the transport volume surpassed 1.5 million TEUs in the first nine months of 2022.
ZIM’s story spans more than 50 years. The Israeli firm has developed from its origins as a transporter of refugees from war-torn Europe to the ports of the future state of Israel to one of the world’s largest shipping companies worldwide.
9. Yang Ming Marine Transport – 491,000 TEUs (69% share)
Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation was established on 28 December 1972. In December 2022, Yang Ming reported a fleet of 94 vessels with an operating capacity of 715,000 TEUs.
Yang Ming turned 50 and constitutes one of the major shipping companies in Taiwan, where the company’s headquarters are located.
10. HMM – 260,500 TEUs (32% share)
HMM has a global network of six regional headquarters, 27 subsidiaries and 60 branch offices. In 1976, the company began operations with three VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers).
The major South Korean shipping line was formerly known as Hyundai Merchant Marine before deciding to rebrand as HMM in 2020. The company achieved to be in the top-10 list of chartered carrying capacity with 260,500 TEUs.
