Analysts have been forecasting since the spring that MSC was
on track to become the world’s largest container carrier surpassing MSC. It
apparently happened this week as MSC continued to take delivery of recently
acquired secondhand tonnage as well as the completion of newbuilds that will be
operated by the carrier. MSC either moved ahead or tied with Maersk based on
rated total capacity.
Privately held, MSC is notoriously quiet about its
individual activities not reporting transactions and orders, leaving it to
industry insiders, brokers, and analysts to link the company to industry
developments. Speculation tied MSC to orders for ultra-large container ships
orders earlier this year in China, and recently the company is believed to have
been behind multiple purchases of older ships.
At the end of last week, China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding
Group held delivery ceremonies for two 12,200 TEU container ships, the MSC
Alanya and MSC Rayshmi, which were being built as part of a new class of ships.
The first of the class was delivered in September 2021, the MSC Carole, and two
additional ships are still under construction in China.
The new ships along with a possible handover of second-hand
tonnage are believed to have pushed MSC ahead. Eight months ago, MSC was reported
to be trailing Maersk by 225,000 TEU.
Respected industry analysts Alphaliner in its Top 100 still
lists Maersk as first. However, they put the lead by just 10,929 TEU in total
capacity with both carriers ranked at 16.9 percent market share. Maersk is
reported to have a total fleet of 731 ships of which 323 with a capacity of 2.5
million TEU are owned and 408 with a capacity of 1.8 million TEU are operating
on charter. Maersk only has 225,100 TEU on order.
Alphaliner sets MSC’s current fleet at a total of 633 ships.
The line employs a larger charter fleet, with 382 ships which make up
approximately two-thirds of its total capacity or a rated capacity of nearly
2.8 million TEU. MSC owns 251 ships with a total rated capacity of just under
1.5 million TEU. MSC, however, has a large orderbook which is believed to be
for nearly an additional one million in TEU capacity.
Maersk had previously commented that it was comfortable with
its overall business strategy and not focused on just carrying capacity. Last
month, the company reported a record profit with analysts highlighting that
Maersk remains on track for the largest profit ever reported by a Danish
company.