List of Largest Shipping Companies in the World

World trade has been booming and it has been expanding like never before. We bring the biggest shipping companies in the world that have been partners in the growth of trade worldwide. Nations with a coastline have exploited their geographical advantage to the hilt building shipping hubs that have boosted trade tremendously. The top shipping companies that rule the world’s sea routes today are mentioned below.

Here is a list of the World’s biggest shipping companies in 2020 explained with an infographic:

Biggest shipping companies in the world explained with an infographic

RankCompanyEstablishment DateHeadquarterTeu (Container)ShipsContact Number
1APM-Maersk1904Denmark4,057,344677+1800-419-9121
2Mediterranean Shg Co1970 Switzerland3,816,278575+41 61 555 6555
3COSCO Group1961 China2,976,108487+124-2251781
4CMA CGM Group1978 France2,824,2145321800 532 1100
5Hapag-Lloyd1970 Germany1,724,838240+49 40 3001-0
6ONE (Ocean Network Express)2017 Japan1,545,602210+63-2-8271-1000
7Evergreen Line1968 Taiwan1,268,361196+886-02-25057766
8HMM Co Ltd1976 South Korea651,88469+82-61-798-4500
9Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp.1972 Taiwan608,07291+1-281-295-9160
10PIL (Pacific Int. Line)1967 Singapore342,405107+65 62265779
11Zim1945 Israel306,78365+97248652000
12Wan Hai Lines1965 Taiwan285,070105+886-2-25677961
13Zhonggu Logistics Corp.2003 China168,5811150439-6182999
14KMTC1990 South Korea162,27668+82 2 3116114
15IRISL Group1979 Iran152,41948+98-21 -26100369-370
16Antong Holdings (QASC)1998 China142,980112+31 72 514 7400
17SITC1984 Hong Kong125,69386+86-22-24109788-137
18X-Press Feeders Group1972 Singapore105,21172+65 6223 9033
19UniFeeder1977 Denmark100,81363+45 88 83 00 00
20TS Lines2000 Hong Kong97,83144+852 3413 2000
21Sinokor Merchant Marine1989 South Korea84,86666+82-2-774-8483
22Global Feeder Shipping LLC1992 United Arab Emirates63,61720+971 4 – 210 51 05
23Matson1882 United States61,83328+1-800-462-8766
24Arkas Line / EMES1996 Turkey60,10434+39 0108390012
25SM Line Corp.2016 South Korea59,84112+1-480-588-3200
26Sinotrans2002 China59,82136+86-10-52296666
27RCL (Regional Container L.)1979 Thailand51,89428+66 2 296 1096
28Salam Pacific Indonesia Lines1970 Indonesia48,57248+62 31 3533989
29Swire Shipping1872 Hong Kong47,97928+679- 331 5444
30Grimaldi (Napoli)1947 Italy43,94440081 496 777
31Sea Lead Shipping2017Dubai39,94113+65-86499781, +65-62874010, +65-62020356
32Transworld Group1977Dubai38,93019+971 4 803 5400
33Emirates Shipping Line2006Dubai38,7777+971 4 383 0200
34Tanto Intim Line1971Jakarta37,09356+62 21 80678000
35Ningbo Ocean Shg Co1992Zhejiang35,58844N/A
36Meratus1957Java, Indonesia34,91749+62 31 2931000
37NileDutch1982Haifa34,76511+31 10 281 8283
38Seaboard Marine1983Medley33,45220+1 305-863-4444
39Great White Fleet1907Annapolis, Maryland30,41213+21402-5029
40Samudera1964Singapore29,51225+65-6532-3688
41Linea Messina1921Genoa29,30512+39 010 53961
42Shanghai Jin Jiang Shipping1983Shanghai28,77934+86 21 6390 2200
43Namsung Shipping1953Seoul26,97125+82-2-722-8800
44Dalian Trawind Marine Co2005Dalian26,39910+81-3-5253-8639
45Interasia Line1967Taiwan24,04312+886-2-25672833
46Temas Line2012Jakarta23,10932+62 21 4302388
47MACS1984New York20,71011+1-800-588-0070
48Crowley Liner Services1954Jacksonville18,76616+1-800-276-9539
49Far Shipping2002Singapore18,06510+65 6339 8866
50Shipping Corp. of India1950Mumbai17,8825+91-22 2202 6666

Now, let’s have a look to the 10 biggest shipping companies in the world:

APM-Maersk

Maersk was set up on 16 April 1904 by A.P. Moller and his father Peter Maersk Moller with the purchase of a second-hand steamer. The company has had a storied journey of tremendous growth and today it serves even more than 120 countries with a vast network spread through 343 ports. It employs more than 80,000 people who are committed to providing a fast and dependable connection to every corner of the globe.

Mediterranean Shipping Co

MSC as it’s commonly called was founded in Naples in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. In terms of container vessel capacity the company has today established itself as the world’s second-largest shipping company operating in all the major ports spread across the world. It operates close to 500 container vessels and also has a division focusing exclusively on holiday cruises called MSC Cruises. Today the company operates out of 480 offices spread across 155 countries.

COSCO Shipping

COSCO Shipping was formed with the merging of COSCO and China Shipping in January 2016. Marine transportation and stevedoring are the company’s main areas of business. It has its headquarters in Shanghai and today COSCO’s shipping vessel fleet is among the world’s largest. It has a fleet of as many as 1310 vessels that have a capacity of 105.92 million DWT. The company is also involved in chartering, shipbuilding and real estate development.

CMA CGM Group

A French company involved in transporting containers and shipping, CMA CGM has successfully emerged as a leading shipping company with a worldwide presence. It operates on as many as 200 shipping routes and serves 420 ports spread across 150 countries in every corner of the world. Headquartered in Marseille, CMA CGM is the fourth largest shipping company in the world. It employs as many as 29,000 people worldwide and has a fleet of 445 vessels.

Hapag-Lloyd

In terms of vessel capacity, Hapag-Lloyd is the fifth largest container carrier in the world. It is a German company and it was formed in 1970 after Hamburg-American Line and North German Lloyd were merged. Hapag-Lloyd is engaged in transporting cargo in containers on major trade routes around the world. In terms of capacity, the company’s fleet of cellular vessels and TEU ownership ranks it at number five globally.

ONE (Ocean Network Express)

Ocean Network’s journey started when it was set up on July 7, 2017 with ‘K’ Line, MOL and NYK being integrated. July 7, 2017 saw the setting up of a holding company in Japan and a business management company in Singapore. The company has grown steadily and operates the sixth largest fleet in the world today. It has a major presence in Hong Kong, UK, USA and Brazil too. The company has plans to expand into ports in Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Evergreen Line

Evergreen Line came into being in 2007 with the merging of Hatsu, Italia Maritima and Evergreen. It has its headquarters in Luzhu District’s Taoyuan City in Taiwan. It operates with a fleet of more than 150 ships and is a part the conglomerate, Evergreen Group. Evergreen serves 240 ports spread across the world covering 80 countries. The company is involved in shipping, ships and containers construction, engineering, port management.

HMM Co Ltd

HMM Co Ltd came into being when Asia Merchant Marine was established on 25th March, 1976. Today, the company is known to operate the largest container vessel in the world, ‘HMM Algeciras’. The company has more than a 100 vessels in its fleet equipped with the latest technology. The company also offers many logistics facilities covering a network of ports that’s spread worldwide.

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp.

Yang Marine Transport Corporation is a major shipping company with its headquarters in Keelung, Taiwan. After being founded in the year 1972, the company has shown impressive growth and today it operates 101 container ships along with 17 bulk carriers. Yang Ming has more than 170 service points spread across as many as 70 nations worldwide.

PIL (Pacific Int. Line)

Pacific International Lines came into being with its incorporation in Singapore in the year 1967. The world’s oldest billionaire, the Chinese entrepreneur, Chang Yung Chung is the company’s founder. PIL today boasts of a fleet of around 150 vessels. The company has worldwide employee strength of 18,000 and it serves nearly 500 ports covering almost 100 countries spread across the globe.

Conclusion

That brings us to the end of our post on the world’s leading shipping companies. Each of these companies operates with large fleets and has successfully earned international recognition. They have a global presence operating on all major sea routes.

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