How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- MSC leads the world with about 7.33 million TEU operated, 21.5% of the global fleet, ahead of Maersk by more than 2.6 million TEU.
- Maersk at 4.72 million TEU, CMA CGM at 4.37 million, and COSCO Group at 3.63 million follow, with the top five holding 65.6% of world capacity.
- Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen, and HMM complete the top eight, with the top ten holding about 85% of world capacity.
- This is a companies list, not a rate list: container shipping prices vary by route, season, fuel, and equipment, so every price here is "See website" and shippers should request quotes per lane.
- Alliances matter as much as size: Gemini Cooperation, Ocean Alliance, and Premier Alliance shape which ports and sailings each carrier serves, while MSC operates standalone.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 MSC | Largest global scale | See website | No |
 Maersk | Integrated end to end logistics | See website | No |
 CMA CGM | Largest orderbook, growth | See website | No |
 COSCO Group | Asia and emerging markets | See website | No |
 Hapag-Lloyd | Mid market contracts | See website | No |
 ONE | Intra Asia and Transpacific | See website | No |
 Evergreen | Modern fuel efficient fleet | See website | No |
 HMM | Mega ship slot costs | See website | No |
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The best container shipping companies
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
MSC, the Mediterranean Shipping Company headquartered in Switzerland, is the world's largest container line, operating about 7.33 million TEU across more than 1,000 ships at end of the first half of 2026, with 134 ships on order. It overtook Maersk for the top spot in 2022 and has expanded its lead since, operating outside the three principal vessel sharing alliances, though separate slot sharing or service agreements may exist.
The fleet figure counts operated ships, owned plus chartered, not ships owned outright. For a shipper who wants the broadest global network and routing autonomy, MSC is the scale pick.
What we like- Largest fleet at about 7.33 million TEU and 21.5% share
- Over 1,000 operated ships
- 134 ships on order
- Standalone routing autonomy outside alliances
Watch out for- Privately held, so less public financial detail
- Chartered share of fleet is high
- Scale can mean less flexibility on niche lanes
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Maersk, headquartered in Denmark, operates about 4.72 million TEU with 88 ships on order, and anchors the Gemini Cooperation alliance with Hapag-Lloyd. Its strength is integrated end to end logistics: ocean freight plus inland transport, warehousing, and supply chain services in one contract.
The integrated model suits larger shippers best, and prices vary sharply by lane and season. For a shipper who wants one provider across ocean and inland logistics, Maersk is the integration pick.
What we like- About 4.72 million TEU and 13.8% share
- 88 ships on order
- Gemini Cooperation alliance
- Integrated logistics beyond ocean freight
Watch out for- Smaller fleet than MSC by over 2.6 million TEU
- Integrated model suits larger shippers best
- Prices vary sharply by lane
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
CMA CGM Group, headquartered in France, operates about 4.37 million TEU with the largest orderbook in the industry at 159 ships, and added about 235,500 TEU in the first half of 2026, the fastest growth among the top carriers. It sails in the Ocean Alliance with COSCO and Evergreen.
Growth at that pace can strain port and equipment capacity on specific lanes. For a shipper who wants a growing carrier with expanding capacity, CMA CGM is the growth pick.
What we like- About 4.37 million TEU and 12.8% share
- Largest orderbook at 159 ships
- Ocean Alliance member
- Added about 235,500 TEU in the first half of 2026
Watch out for- Orderbook growth can strain port and equipment capacity
- French headquartered group with complex brand structure
- Prices vary by lane
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
COSCO Group, headquartered in China, operates about 3.63 million TEU with 138 ships on order, including OOCL, and sails in the Ocean Alliance. Its self operated capacity runs near 3.60 million TEU across 590 ships, with liftings of 27.43 million TEU in the last full year reported.
Its network depth in Asia and emerging markets suits shippers with Asian origin cargo. For an Asia focused shipper, COSCO is the network pick.
What we like- About 3.63 million TEU and 10.6% share
- 138 ships on order
- Ocean Alliance member
- Deep network in Asia and emerging markets
- OOCL included
Watch out for- State linked ownership raises compliance questions for some shippers
- 42 methanol dual fuel ships on order add fuel transition complexity
- Prices vary by lane
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Hapag-Lloyd, headquartered in Germany, operates about 2.38 million TEU with 63 ships on order, and anchors the Gemini Cooperation alliance with Maersk. It is known for customer satisfaction and mid market contracts, suiting shippers who want reliable service without the scale of the top three.
The fleet is smaller than the top four, and network breadth depends on Gemini. For a mid market shipper who values service and contract stability, Hapag-Lloyd is the service pick.
What we like- About 2.38 million TEU and 7.0% share
- 63 ships on order
- Gemini Cooperation alliance
- Customer satisfaction and mid market contract strength
Watch out for- Smaller fleet than the top four
- Gemini dependence for network breadth
- Prices vary by lane
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
ONE, Ocean Network Express, operates about 2.16 million TEU with 52 ships on order, and sails in the Premier Alliance. Its strength is intra Asia and Transpacific transit, suiting shippers moving goods between Asia and North America.
The Transpacific focus limits depth on other lanes. For an Asia to North America shipper, ONE is the Transpacific pick.
What we like- About 2.16 million TEU and 6.3% share
- 52 ships on order
- Premier Alliance member
- Intra Asia and Transpacific transit strength
Watch out for- Japanese and Singaporean joint venture structure
- Smaller fleet than top five
- Transpacific focus limits other lanes
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Evergreen Line, headquartered in Taiwan, operates about 2.01 million TEU with 77 ships on order, and sails in the Ocean Alliance. Its modern, fuel efficient fleet suits shippers who value newer tonnage and lower emissions per container.
Regional concentration in Asia limits depth elsewhere. For a shipper who wants a modern fleet on Ocean Alliance lanes, Evergreen is the efficiency pick.
What we like- About 2.01 million TEU and 5.9% share
- 77 ships on order
- Ocean Alliance member
- Modern, fuel efficient fleet
Watch out for- Taiwanese headquartered carrier with regional concentration
- Smaller fleet than top six
- Prices vary by lane
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
HMM, headquartered in South Korea, operates about 1.03 million TEU with 34 ships on order, and sails in the Premier Alliance. Its mega ships offer optimized slot costs, and its chartered share of 18.1% is the lowest among the top ten, meaning most of its fleet is owned.
The fleet is the smallest in the top eight, with fewer sailings than larger rivals on many lanes. For a shipper who wants low slot costs on Premier Alliance lanes, HMM is the cost pick.
What we like- About 1.03 million TEU and 3.0% share
- 34 ships on order
- Premier Alliance member
- Optimized slot costs on mega ships
- Lowest chartered share among top ten at 18.1%
Watch out for- Smallest fleet in the top eight
- Korean headquartered carrier with regional focus
- Fewer sailings than larger rivals on many lanes
How we chose
We ranked carriers by operated fleet capacity in TEU at end of the first half of 2026, using Alphaliner data compiled in August 2026, with alliance membership and orderbook as secondary factors. MSC scored on scale, Maersk on integration, CMA CGM on growth, COSCO on Asian network depth, Hapag-Lloyd on service, ONE on Transpacific strength, Evergreen on fleet efficiency, and HMM on slot costs. Figures count operated fleets, owned plus chartered, and measure nominal capacity, not cargo carried.
We used "See website" for every price deliberately. Container shipping prices vary by route, season, fuel surcharges, equipment availability, and contract versus spot terms, and no honest list price covers a lane. Shippers should request quotes per lane and compare total landed cost, not headline freight rates.
Buying guide
Start with the lane, not the carrier ranking. A carrier that leads globally may offer few sailings on your specific origin and destination, while a smaller carrier may serve it daily. Check alliance coverage for your lane: Gemini Cooperation, Ocean Alliance, and Premier Alliance each serve different port pairs, and MSC's standalone network differs again.
Next, compare total landed cost per container. Request quotes that include ocean freight, fuel surcharges, terminal handling, documentation, and inland transport, since a low ocean rate with high surcharges costs more than a higher all in rate. Check transit time, sailing frequency, and blank sailing risk, since a cheaper slow service can cost more in inventory than it saves in freight.
Finally, check reliability and disruption planning. Geopolitical events, such as Strait of Hormuz tensions in the first half of 2026, forced carriers to reassess vessel movements and network planning, so operational flexibility, alternative routing options, and resilient service networks matter. Ask how the carrier handled recent disruptions on your lane before committing volume today. Keep a backup carrier qualified now for your key lanes, since capacity and blank sailings shift with seasons and disruptions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest container shipping company in the world?
MSC, with about 7.33 million TEU operated and 21.5% of the global fleet at end of the first half of 2026, ahead of Maersk by more than 2.6 million TEU.
How is a shipping company's size measured?
By operated fleet capacity in TEU, twenty foot equivalent units, counting owned plus chartered ships. One TEU equals one standard 20 foot container, and a 40 foot container counts as two.
Why are no shipping prices listed?
Container shipping prices vary by route, season, fuel, equipment, and contract versus spot terms, so honest pricing requires a quote per lane. Request quotes that include all surcharges and inland costs.
What are the main shipping alliances?
Gemini Cooperation with Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Alliance with CMA CGM, COSCO, and Evergreen, and Premier Alliance with ONE, HMM, and Yang Ming. MSC operates standalone.
How concentrated is container shipping?
Very. The top five carriers hold 65.6% of world capacity, and the top ten hold about 85%, with the next 90 carriers together holding only 12.6%.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.