MSC has reached a record 21.5% share of global container fleet. File Image / Pixabay

Container shipping firm MSC continued to strengthen its position in the global container fleet in May, reaching a record market share of 21.5%, according to sector specialist Alphaliner.

The latest figures show MSC widening its lead over A.P Moller-Maersk, whose share of the global container fleet fell to 13.7%, it said in an emailed report on Tuesday.

“At the other end of the scale, A.P. Moller-Maersk has adopted a very different strategy, and May saw the carrier languish at its lowest market share in twenty years,” it said.

MSC has been the only top 10 container carrier to achieve a record-high market share this year.

The company has effectively doubled its share of global container capacity since 2010, driven by rapid fleet expansion since 2020.

Maersk has followed a different strategy, opting to cap its fleet at around 4.1-4.3 million TEUs from early 2024.

The company has instead focused on fleet renewal, decarbonisation initiatives and expanding its integrated logistics business. However, continued growth in the global container fleet has resulted in a gradual decline in its market share.

Among other leading carriers, France-based CMA CGM maintained a relatively stable position, accounting for 12.5% of global container fleet capacity, slightly below its peak of 12.9% recorded in 2023.

Outside the top 10, Taiwan's Wan Hai Lines remained one of the few carriers to consistently increase its market share over the past decade, maintaining a 1.7% share since 2022.

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines (PIL) currently holds a 1.3% market share, despite recent fleet growth, remaining below its 2014 peak of 2.1%.

Among smaller operators, X-Press Feeders, SITC and KMTC have maintained relatively stable market shares of between 0.5% and 0.8% over the past ten years.