Over the years, shipping container firms have become increasingly important to world trade. Our list of the top 15 largest ocean freight companies in the world in 2023 will provide you a thorough understanding of the major players in the sector who are now influencing the state of the world economy.

Top 15 largest container shipping companies in the world

We keep tabs on the flow of the bulkiest shipments and maritime freight jobs by TEU during a hazardous period for global logistics. The fifteen significant, trustworthy brands listed below are ordered in random order:

1. Mediterranean Shipping Company – MSC

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), one of the biggest container shipping companies in the world, was founded in 1970 and has its headquarters in Switzerland. MSC has offices in more than 160 nations and more than 500 locations worldwide. MSC, which has a capacity of 4.8 million TEUs, is a major force in the market due to its dedication to innovation and technology.

Website: https://www.msc.com/

2. Maersk

Maersk Shipping Line, a Danish shipping company that held the top rank in the global container shipping market for more than 25 years, dominated the industry. An AP Moller-Maersk corporation division is Maersk Shipping Line. The Maersk Line made its entry into the international container shipping market in 1904 and is well-known for its fleet of container ships. The corporation is currently expanding its market share in the digital technology and green fuel sectors. The firm now has a fleet of about 800+ container ships with a total TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit) capacity of about 4,275,542.

Website: https://www.maersk.com/

3. COSCO Shipping Lines

Nearly 500 vessels are operated by China Ocean Shipping Company, which also boasts the second-largest owned TEU in the world (2,999,002). Through 399 local and international shipping routes, including 265 international services, the corporation provides services to more than 105 businesses globally.

Along with CMA CGM, Evergreen, and OOCL, COSCO is a member of the freight and cargo network known as The Ocean Alliance. With more than 50 domestic services and 80 services on the Yangtze River and Pearl River, it is also a specialized domestic shipper.

Website: https://lines.coscoshipping.com/

4. Hapag – Lloyd

Hapag-Lloyd is a market leader in the container shipping sector, operating a fleet of vessels that is both cutting-edge and effective. They manage more than 230 container ships with a capacity of more than 1.7 million TEUs. Hapag-Lloyd is dedicated to sustainability and uses green products and procedures to reduce their negative influence on the environment.

Website: https://www.hapag-lloyd.com/

5. Evergreen Marine Line

Dr. Yung-Fa Chang, a visionary in his own right, formed the Evergreen Marine Corporation, a maritime corporation with its headquarters in Taiwan, in 1968. The company currently operates more than 204 container ships, with a total carrying capacity of 1,477,644 TEUs and offices located all over the world. One of the biggest cargo shipping firms in the world, according to popular opinion. The largest container ships in the world are currently in the fleet of Evergreen Line.

Website: https://www.evergreen-marine.com/

6. Ocean Network Express (ONE)

One of the newest shipping behemoths on the market is Ocean Network Express, which was founded in 2017 as a merger between the Japanese shipping companies "K" Line, MOL, and NYK. Even so, it controls 6.5% of the market and runs 221 ships, including 31 extremely large ships and some of the biggest 20,000TEUs container ships in the world. Since then, it has opened regional headquarters in Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Brazil to better service its global clientele.

Website: https://www.one-line.com/

7. HMM Co - Hyundai Merchant Marine

A South Korean shipping container business called Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd. (HMM) offers ocean transportation services to clients all over the world. HMM, which was established in 1976, has developed into one of the biggest shipping firms in South Korea, with a fleet of over 100 boats that can carry more than 800,000 TEUs of goods around the world. A lot of containers, that is!

Website: https://www.hmm21.com/

8. ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd

ZIM, or Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., is an Israeli firm that specializes in shipping cargo internationally. As the ZIM Palestine Navigation Company Ltd., it was established in 1945. ZIM currently has a fleet of 111 ships with a combined 4,19,064 TEUs of container carrying capacity. It is now one of the top 10 container shipping companies in the world after adding more than 30 ships to its fleet in 2021.

Website: https://www.zim.com/

9. Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. (TEUs: 628,463) is a Taiwanese freight company that was founded in 1972 and has since become a major player on the world stage. It controls 2.6% of the market and runs 89 boats. In December, the company's shares reached a nine-year high as profits increased by 740%. 

Website: https://www.yangming.com/

10. CMA CGM

Leading French shipping container firm CMA CGM runs a huge global network of shipping operations. With a fleet of more than 500 ships and a capacity of more than 3.4 million TEUs, CMA CGM, which was founded in 1978, has developed into one of the biggest container shipping businesses in the world.

Website: https://www.cma-cgm.com/

11. X-Press Feeders

Singapore is home to the container shipping organization X-Press Feeders/Sea Consortium. According to data released by the maritime web Aphaliner, it is the 17th largest operator in terms of capacity. 

There are 110 ships in its fleet, 43 of which are owned by the corporation. It can accommodate 143,767 TEUs in total. In addition to serving ports in Europe, the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean, and the eastern and southeastern regions of Asia, the company also offers transhipment services.

Website: https://www.x-pressfeeders.com/

12. Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL)

Orient Overseas Container Line, usually known as OOCL, is a Hong Kong-based container transportation firm that also offers logistics services.

The company, which was established in 1969, runs more than 300 vessels and has over 320 offices spread across more than 70 countries, giving it a TEU capacity of about 565,113. Additionally, it oversees and runs the Long Beach Container Terminal and the Kaohsiung Container Terminal, two container facilities.

Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Australasia are all included in the logistics and container transportation services offered by OOCL, one of the most recognizable and dependable businesses. 

The company's fleet includes some of the world's newest, largest, and most environmentally friendly ships. 

Website: https://www.oocl.com/

13. Pacific International Lines (PIL)

One of the largest shipowners in Southeast Asia, PIL is headquartered in Singapore. It runs over 164 container and multipurpose ships that make more than 500 port calls to more than 100 different nations worldwide. 

The business, which was established in 1967, has a committed workforce of 18000 experts and a TEU capacity of approximately 347,419 TEUs. From the Far East to Europe, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the Indian Subcontinent, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, and the western coast of the United States, it does business.

Although shipping is its primary industry, it also engages in container production and logistics services.

Website: https://www.pilship.com/

14. Wan Hai Lines

Wan Hai Lines was once a log transportation business, but it soon realized the growing popularity of containerization and in 1976 purchased its first container ship, the MV Ming Chun. The business subsequently began offering shipping services between Taiwan and Japan. Since then, Wan Hai has developed into a well-known container shipping business. 

With terminals in the northern, center, and southern parts of the island, it is Taiwan's sole carrier. It runs 20 routes, 15 of which make stops at important ports and harbors for international trade.  Wan Hai is the owner of 90 ships with a 260,000 TEU carrying capacity. It also manages 59 vessels that are chartered. 

Website: https://www.wanhai.com/

15. Zhonggu Logistics Corporation

China-based Shanghai Zhonggu Logistics Co Ltd is a business. It offers specialized container logistics solutions to its customers.

It has a multimodal transportation logistics system with a focus on water transportation that integrates the resources of the highways, trains, and waterways. The company employs around 1455 specialists and operates 100 ships with a combined TEU capacity of 147,834 TEUs.

It operates primarily in China. Over 200 ports in China can accommodate 400,000 containers in Zhonggu's holding capacity. Additionally, it works with well-known leasing firms like SEACO, BEACON, TEXTAINER, etc. 

Website: http://www.zhonggu56.com/

The important role of ships in ocean freight

Ships are an important part of maritime transportation because they are the main means of moving cargo across the oceans. They are the best option for efficiently and economically moving big amounts of goods including raw materials, grains, coal, oil, and iron ore.

Ships, the backbone of world trade, facilitate international trade by linking ports all over the world. They make it possible for goods to be transported between nations and continents, fostering economic expansion and advancement.

Shipping is generally more environmentally benign than other forms of transportation. Modern ships are built to be energy-efficient and emit less pollution per ton of cargo, which helps to lower carbon emissions. There are other additional comforts, which Worldcraft Logistics will go into more depth about in another article.

Please check out some other informative articles:

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Aximizing efficiency 2023: why LCL shipping is the smartest option right now

How to choose the best sea freight company

The choice of the appropriate shipping carrier is one of the most important choices that firms must make during the shipment process. Costs, delivery times, and customer happiness may all be dramatically impacted by this choice. Here are some suggestions to help you pick the shipping company that best meets your requirements:

• Determine your needs: Determine your precise needs, such as shipping frequency, the size and weight of your items, and the delivery method, before choosing a shipping carrier.

• Think about the shipping insurance: Verify the carrier's ability to serve your clients both domestically and abroad.

• Delivery schedules: Evaluate whether the delivery schedules provided by various carriers meet your requirements by comparing them.

• Costs: Examine shipping quotes from several carriers and take into account supplementary expenses like insurance and extra services.

• Reputation: To make sure you are working with a dependable shipping service, check out their reputation and customer reviews.

• Customer service: If you need assistance, assess the carrier's capacity for providing customer service and its capacity for resolving issues.

• Technology and system integration: To improve cargo and information management, take into account how well your own systems and the carrier's shipping system integrate. Make sure the shipping company has safeguards in place to guard your items against loss or damage while in transit.

• Scalability: Look at the carrier's capacity to meet your needs as your company grows. Make sure you're using the carrier that best meets your current demands by performing frequent comparisons and reevaluations of your options.

By implementing these suggestions, you'll be able to streamline your shipping procedure and guarantee that your products arrive on time and in good condition.

Worldcraft Logistics has just listed the world's largest sea transport companies in 2023. Hopefully, you will have more updated information about shipping lines and make a decision to choose a reputable shipping partner. Thank you for following the topic and continue to learn more new transportation knowledge with Worldcraft Logistics in the next articles.