Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has strengthened its position as the world’s largest container shipping line, achieving a record 21.5% share of global container fleet capacity in May, according to shipping consultancy Alphaliner.
The milestone marks the highest market share ever recorded by a container carrier, surpassing the previous industry peak of 19.3% held by Maersk in 2018. The Geneva-based MSC has continued to expand its fleet aggressively since 2020, widening the gap with its nearest competitors and consolidating its leadership in the global liner shipping market.
Alphaliner noted that MSC was the only carrier among the world’s top ten container lines to reach a record market share in 2026. The company has effectively doubled its share of global fleet capacity compared with 2010, reflecting sustained investment in vessel acquisitions and newbuilding programmes.
In contrast, Maersk’s share of global container fleet capacity declined to 13.7%, its lowest level in two decades. According to Alphaliner, this is the smallest proportion of the global fleet operated by Maersk since its acquisition of P&O Nedlloyd in 2005. The decline follows Maersk’s strategic decision to maintain its fleet size within a range of 4.1 million to 4.3 million TEUs while the overall global container fleet continues to expand.
Despite the reduction in market share, Maersk remains focused on fleet decarbonisation and integrated logistics services rather than pursuing capacity growth. The company has prioritised replacing older vessels with more environmentally efficient tonnage while strengthening its end-to-end logistics offerings.
Meanwhile, French carrier CMA CGM maintained a stable position in the global market, accounting for 12.5% of worldwide container fleet capacity. Although slightly below its peak market share of 12.9% recorded in 2023, CMA CGM continues to rank among the industry’s leading operators.
The latest Alphaliner data highlights the diverging strategies among the world’s largest container shipping companies, with MSC pursuing fleet expansion, Maersk focusing on sustainability and logistics integration, and CMA CGM maintaining a steady presence as global container shipping capacity continues to grow.