The extreme consolidation within the ocean container sector we reported at this time last year has only intensified, say analysts for the Paris-based consultancy Alphaliner.
The top 10 carriers now operate 85% of global shipping capacity. Four groups—Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM and COSCO—control more than half of capacity (58%), and the top seven, including Hapag-Lloyd, ONE and Evergreen, control 78%. This base level of fleet concentration is then greatly enhanced by the existence of three vessel-sharing alliances on the mainline East-West trades—2M, the Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance—that count nine of the top 10 liner groups as members.
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