Maersk has shifted its strategic focus by launching an aggressive vessel acquisition programme to maintain its position as the world’s second-largest container shipping line amid intensifying competition from France’s CMA CGM. In September, the Danish shipping company announced orders for 26 new container ships, each with a capacity of approximately 18,600 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This latest move brings Maersk’s total number of vessels on order to 131, aiming to expand its fleet by around 16% upon delivery between 2029 and 2030.
This development marks a notable reversal in Maersk’s recent decade-long strategy, which prioritized expanding its integrated shipping and logistics services over fleet growth. The company had aimed to mitigate sector volatility by focusing on end-to-end logistics solutions rather than fleet size. However, recent market conditions and sustained high freight rates have prompted Maersk’s leadership to adopt a more assertive stance in fleet expansion. CEO Vincent Clerc stated the company now requires more ships to manage ongoing trade disruptions and intends to "play more assertively" in the shipping market.
Despite this sizeable order, industry analysts note Maersk’s fleet expansion is unlikely to close the gap with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which surpassed Maersk in 2022 to become the world’s largest container line. MSC currently operates a fleet of 1,015 vessels, significantly larger than Maersk’s projected 882 ships. Meanwhile, CMA CGM, which recovered from near bankruptcy after the 2008 financial crisis, is challenging Maersk’s position by having 160 ships on order. When current fleets and pending deliveries are combined, CMA is expected to overtake Maersk as the second-largest operator. CMA’s vice-president for Asian and North European lines, Nicole Chamard, recently affirmed confidence that CMA CGM will assume the second spot next year.
Industry experts attribute the surge in fleet expansion primarily to the windfall profits shipping companies earned during prolonged trade disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and related supply chain challenges. Elevated freight rates and extended shipping distances have generated unprecedented revenue, enabling container lines to place record orders for vessels as they anticipate sustained demand driven by ongoing geopolitical turmoil, tariffs, and climate-related disruptions.
The shipping sector is simultaneously adjusting to the anticipated end of long-standing vessel-sharing alliances, which have allowed companies to extend route options and port coverage beyond their fleets’ capacities. CMA CGM, for example, is boosting its fleet in preparation for terminating an alliance with China’s state-backed Cosco Shipping, which itself has 155 ships on order, representing a 52% fleet increase. Other alliances are evolving as well: Hapag-Lloyd, allied with Maersk, has agreed to acquire Israeli rival Zim for $4.2 billion, which would expand its fleet to over 400 vessels.
Maersk’s strategy includes ordering ships that are large and fuel-efficient but deliberately not the largest available on the market. The new vessels, some measuring 366 meters, offer operational flexibility and deployment options across current and future service networks. CMA’s investment includes ten of the largest ships under the French flag, each capable of carrying around 24,200 TEUs, such as the liquefied natural gas-powered Notre Dame. While larger ships provide economies of scale by reducing fuel costs—fuel accounting for up to two-thirds of operating expenses—they often face restrictions because their size limits the number of accessible ports.
Experts caution that the container shipping industry is effectively engaged in a zero-sum game: not all operators can substantially expand without others contracting. As companies position themselves for the 2030s, the balance between growth ambitions and market realities remains uncertain, with competitive dynamics continuing to evolve amid shifting alliances and changing trade patterns.