World's Top 12 Container Carriers: The Winners & Losers in 2020

4th January 2021

Giant container operators, CMA CGM and HMM reacted quickest to the cargo surge in the second half of 2020 with the former primed to become the third largest global carrier later this year. Above: AFLOAT's file photo of a CMA CGM containership, Nicolas Delmas departing Dublin Port with assistance of tug's (one unseen off the bow). Credit: Jehan Ashmore

Of the world’s top 12 container shipping carriers, 8 of them increased overall capacity in 2020 despite all 12 making stinging capacity cuts in the first half of the year as Covid-19 lockdowns hit demand.

As LloydsLoadingList reports, the carriers HMM and CMA CGM posted the largest size gains last year with both adding more than 300,000 (TEU) of capacity as carriers reacted to surging global demand for goods in the second half of the year.

CMA CGM added 64 ships while HMM increased its fleet size by 85% through a substantial newbuilding program which enabled the line to jump from 10th place up to 8th according to Alphaliner’s Top 12 carrier rankings of carriers by size.

MSC’s fleet capacity growth last year of 2.4% meanwhile saw it edge closer to Maersk (-2% in 2020) at the top of the rankings.

For further reading plus a chart of carrier fleet capacity gains and lossed during last year, click here.

Published in Ports & Shipping

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About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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