The Asia-North America trade remains a fiercely competitive battleground for the world’s leading container shipping companies, with CMA CGM, Maersk, and COSCO vying for the top position. According to Alphaliner’s recent data, 562 vessels with a combined capacity of 5.37 million TEUs currently operate on this key route, representing 17% of the global container fleet. This marks a 4.2% year-on-year increase in capacity.
Despite being the world’s largest container carrier, MSC ranks only sixth in this trade, holding an 8.2% market share. This is a significant drop due to a strategic shift earlier this year, where MSC converted its Asia-USEC ‘Santana’ service into a broader loop connecting Asia, Central America, and South America. However, MSC plans to bolster its capacity in February 2024 with the rollout of its new standalone East-West network.
At the forefront of the Asia-North America trade, CMA CGM recently reclaimed the top spot from Maersk, which had led the market in November 2023. CMA CGM now controls a 13.2% market share, narrowly edging out Maersk at 13.1%, with COSCO close behind at 12.9%. CMA CGM’s dominance can be attributed to its acquisition of American shipping line APL, while Maersk leveraged its merger with Sealand to strengthen its Transpacific operations.
The OCEAN Alliance, comprising CMA CGM, COSCO, and Evergreen, holds a combined market share of 36.7%. Evergreen, ranking fifth, expanded its presence by phasing in new 15,372 TEU vessels, achieving a 4.7% fleet growth year-on-year.
Taiwanese carriers Wan Hai Lines and Yang Ming posted impressive growth in the trade. Wan Hai recorded a 39.3% increase in capacity, while Yang Ming now deploys 55% of its fleet on the Transpacific route, the highest percentage among carriers. ZIM, the Israeli shipping line, emerged as the second-fastest grower, increasing its capacity by 24.1% with the introduction of additional 15,250 TEU and 7,800 TEU vessels on its Asia-USEC services.
Hapag-Lloyd, a member of THE Alliance, also boosted its capacity by 23.6%. This increase was largely driven by the deployment of five newly chartered 15,440 TEU vessels on its Far East-USEC ‘AA7’ service.
The competition for market leadership in the Asia-North America trade underscores the dynamic nature of the shipping industry, as carriers adjust fleet strategies to meet growing demand and capitalize on opportunities in this critical corridor.
