The liner-ranked defender substitution is underway. Alphaliner's data shows that just 10,817 classes — essentially a one-time purchase of neopanamax — separate Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping (MSC) from the Danish airline at the top of the liner charts, the first time in more than a quarter of a century before the end of the year that they have given up the top spot.
Data from rival liner data provider Linerlytica shows that MSC has actually just passed its Danish counterpart. According to Linerlytica, MSC topped the list when it became MSC Fie on Nov. 24.
MSC has been undergoing massive expansion since August 2020, having acquired an unprecedented 125 used vessels in the past 16 months and signed more new container construction contracts than any other airline in the world. According to data compiled by Alphaliner, both operators currently have a 16.9% market share. If the order from MSC is included, its fleet has far exceeded its 2 million alliance partners.
MsC has just signed a letter of intent with South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to build six LNG-powered 15,000 TEUs vessels worth a total of $1 billion, adding an additional to its record-breaking 1 million TEUs order.
The big gap between MSC and Maersk fleet composition lies in the difference between own and franchised fleets, maersk has far more tonnage than it does, and the majority of MSC's fleet still relies on charterers, despite changing strategies during the pandemic.
Since the mid-1990s, Maersk has been the world's largest container shipping line. In recent years, the company has repeatedly said it intends to become a logistics integrator with a fleet of no more than 4 million to 4.4 million TEUs.
Founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte, MSC became the world's second-largest airline in 2004, and since then it and Maersk have continued to top the global charts.
Former Maersk CHIEF OPERATING Officer Soren Toft today celebrated his one-year anniversary as CEO of MSC.
Looking at how liner rankings have changed during the flu pandemic, analysts at Marine Intelligence observed over the weekend that the biggest change was the lower rankings, with most global airlines maintaining their current routes.
The biggest leap in rankings during the pandemic came from China. For example, China United Airlines (CU-Lines) was not even in the top 100 at the beginning of the outbreak, but now operates a fleet of 82,000 TEUs, making it the 22nd largest airline in the world.
"They are one of the very clear beneficiaries of the 2021 container market," Haixin said in its latest weekly report.
BAL container routes have been another beneficiary of the 2021 strong market. At the beginning of the outbreak, the company was also not in the top 100, but now operates 33,000 TEUs, making it the 37th largest airline in the world.
