The ten largest container lines now control about 85% of global containership capacity, with MSC holding a 21.5% share, according to an Alphaliner ranking published on 10 November 2026 and reported by trans.info.
Concentration at the top of the ranking
The Alphaliner data shows that the container shipping industry has become markedly concentrated, with the ten largest operators accounting for around 85% of total capacity deployed on scheduled container services. Concentration is even sharper at the very top of the table.
MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO and Hapag-Lloyd together account for 65.5% of global containership capacity. Alphaliner measures capacity in TEU across ships operated by each carrier, including both owned and chartered vessels, so the ranking reflects fleet capacity rather than the number of containers moved or each company’s share of shipping revenue.
The top five carriers by fleet capacity are:
- MSC: 7.48 million TEU across 1,023 ships, a 21.5% share
- Maersk: 4.71 million TEU across 745 ships, 13.5%
- CMA CGM: 4.48 million TEU across 727 ships, 12.9%
- COSCO: 3.70 million TEU across about 570 ships, 10.7%
- Hapag-Lloyd: 2.41 million TEU across about 290 ships, 6.9%
MSC extends its lead over Maersk
The Swiss carrier remains firmly in first place, with a fleet that has grown beyond 1,000 vessels to 1,023 containerships and a combined capacity of 7.48 million TEU, equivalent to 21.5% of global capacity.
MSC’s advantage over second-placed Maersk is substantial. Its fleet is approximately 2.77 million TEU larger than Maersk’s, a gap greater than the entire capacity of Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest carrier. The lead of close to 2.8 million TEU underscores how far the Geneva-based line has pulled ahead of its nearest rival.
Orderbook tops 15 million TEU
Fleet expansion is accelerating alongside market concentration. At the end of October 2026, the global orderbook for new containerships stood at approximately 15.12 million TEU, equivalent to almost 44% of the capacity of the existing global container fleet. Those vessels will be delivered over the coming years and are not yet counted in the figures for ships in operation.
MSC again holds the largest orderbook, having contracted 182 containerships with a combined capacity of approximately 3.38 million TEU — equal to 45.1% of its current fleet capacity. COSCO‘s orderbook totals about 1.87 million TEU, compared with 1.80 million TEU for Maersk and 1.68 million TEU for CMA CGM.
Chinese shipyards are building a large share of the new tonnage. Industry data cited by Italian publication TrasportoEuropa indicates that China accounts for approximately 81% of the global containership orderbook.
New ships could add pressure to the market
The growing orderbook means a substantial number of new vessels will enter service in the coming years. Drewry forecasts that global container fleet capacity will increase by 8.8% in 2027, 12.1% in 2028 and 10% in 2029, estimates that take into account expected scrapping of older vessels and potential delivery delays.
Such a rapid increase in capacity could challenge carriers, particularly if container trade does not expand at a similar pace. Route changes will also affect the amount of cargo space available: if more containerships return to the shorter route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, effective capacity could rise because the same services would require fewer vessels than voyages rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope.
With supply increasing, carriers have several ways to bring capacity back into line with demand: cancelling selected sailings, reducing vessel speeds through slow steaming, reallocating ships between routes, or accelerating the retirement of older vessels.
What it means for forwarders and shippers
Companies that rely on ocean freight will be watching two parallel developments: greater concentration among carriers and a growing supply of container space. A larger share of capacity in the hands of the largest carriers means decisions by a relatively small group of operators will have an increasing impact on service availability, sailing frequency and the space offered on individual trade lanes.
That does not automatically mean higher freight rates, nor does it mean the largest carriers can impose whatever terms they choose. Competition for cargo remains, while conditions on each route also depend on demand, operating costs and the availability of ships. A larger supply of cargo space could put downward pressure on rates if vessel capacity grows faster than demand for transport.
For freight forwarders and shippers, the key issue will therefore not be the number of new containerships alone, but how the largest operators manage their fleets. The balance between demand, supply and carrier decisions will largely determine space availability, sailing frequency and freight rates in the years ahead.
Source: Trans.INFO
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
