Container carriers shift from chartered to owned vessel capacity

Major global container carriers are experiencing a shift in fleet composition, moving away from the flexibility of the charter market toward direct ownership. According to data from Alphaliner, the four largest operators—MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, and COSCO—now hold significantly higher proportions of owned capacity compared to early 2020.

MSC has seen its chartered capacity drop from 72% in early 2020 to 36% currently. CMA CGM experienced a similar decline, falling from 63% to 34%. Maersk and COSCO have also reduced their reliance on chartered vessels, with Maersk moving from 44% to 38% and COSCO from 47% to 40%. This trend toward ownership may limit the ability of these carriers to rapidly adjust capacity by returning or reducing leased ships, even as their total orderbooks continue to grow.