Maersk Line Tops Fleet Capacity Growth in 2011 [REPORT]

A.P. Moller – Maersk Group’s Maersk Line recorded the largest capacity growth by TEU’s in 2011 according to a report by liner industry data house Alphaliner.  In 2011, Maersk added 392,000 TEU’s to its fleet representing an increase of 18% in overall capacity.

Over the past year, Maersk has made strides to assert its dominance over the liner shipping industry by ordering 20 Triple-E class vessels with the capacity to carry 18,000 teu’s apiece.  Those vessels are currently under construction at Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co.

Maersk’s market share, which has been slowly declining since the end of 2005, was able to recover slightly throughout the year from 14.5% to 16.0% by the end of the 2011. Maersk market share peaked at 18.2% at the end of 2005 according to Alphaliner figures.

Mediterranean Shipping Company came in second for the year by fleet capacity growth.  MSC grew its overall capacity by 14% over the past 12 months, adding more than 250,000 teu’s.  MSC is followed by CMA CGM with 11% growth and COSCO with 19%.

The total world container capacity of ships grew by 7.3% in 2011 to reach 15.90 million teu according to Alphaliner figures gathered on December 31, 2011.

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