Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has extended its container capacity dominance to 4.5 million TEUs through the strength of its order book.
According to ocean freight aggregator Alphaliner, MSC’s order book has ballooned to 1.76 million TEUs.
Comparatively speaking, MSC’s awaiting capacity growth is roughly the same size as the entire box capacity of Hapag-Lloyd.
Taking into account the acquisition of about 240 used vessels as part of its fleet expansion drive, MSC is now well clear of Maersk in the TEU capacity stakes.
Whereas the latter was a world leader pre-Covid, MSC has surpassed its leading competitor by extending its capacity by at least 200 000 TEUs more than Maersk.
Such is MSC’s growing overshadowing of Maersk that the ongoing need for its 2M vessel-sharing allegiance with the Danish line is beginning to wane.
Forged in 2014, there’s speculation that MSC may ditch Maersk when the 2M alliance comes up for renegotiation in 2024.
It is understood that the alliance between the world’s two biggest carriers has often been quite fraught.
Conflicting reports suggest that the alliance is too profitable to terminate.
