Top Container Shipping Companies in World 2023: How to Join?

Here are my best-handpicked ranking-wise top largest container shipping companies in the world. Let’s talk about container ships.

A container ship (also called box-ship) is a cargo ship that carries all of its load in truck-size intermodal containers called containerization.

Its capacity is measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).

List of container ships with a capacity larger than 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). In this list, all shipping companies are top merchant navy companies worldwide.

What is the main purpose of Container Ships?

Container ships now rival crude oil tankers and bulk carriers as the largest commercial seaborne vessels.

Nowadays, about 90% of non-bulk cargo worldwide is transported by container vessels, and the largest modern container vessels can carry a capacity of up to 24,000 TEU.

Container ships have been built in increasingly larger sizes to take advantage of economies of scale and reduce expenses as part of intermodal freight transport.

How to join a Top International Shipping Company?

If you want more information about any company don’t hesitate to visit their website to get new updates.

Then, get a contact email ID and reach out to that company to send you a resume that fulfils all the criteria of the company selection process. I hope this technique great help to you.

List of Best Biggest Container Shipping Companies in the World 2023

1. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is an Italian-Swiss international shipping line.

MSC is the No.1 largest container shipping company in the world. This company operates in all major ports of the world. MSC was started in 1970; 53 years ago.

Its headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland, since 1978, MSC has been a privately owned organisation.

The company has 2 main businesses: Container Shipping and Logistics. They are providing our services worldwide. Number of employees currently working in this company is 100,000 staff with a fleet of 600 vessels.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: Private Sector
• Revenue: $35.59 billion
• TEU: 4,284,668
• Vessels: 600
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Employees: 100,000
• Visit Site: https://www.msc.com/

2. A.P. Moller – Maersk Group

A.P.M – Maersk Group is also known simply as Maersk. It is a Danish shipping company, active in ocean and inland freight transportation and associated services, such as supply chain management and port operation.

It was founded in 1904. Its headquarters are situated in Copenhagen, Denmark. Maersk is one of the oldest shipping companies in 2023.

Maersk is the 2nd largest container shipping line and vessel operator in the world from 1996 until 2021. This company has 83,000 employees currently working in the company as a publicly-traded family business.

Nowadays, the Maersk fleet is around 740 ships calling 343 ports and terminals in 121 countries. This company has 3 main businesses: transportation, Logistics and Energy. They are providing services worldwide.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: Private
• Revenue: US$ 39.7 billion
• TEU: 4,282,302
• Vessels: 740
• Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
• Employees: 83,000
• Visit Site: https://www.maersk.com/

3. CMA-CGM

CMA-CGM is a French container shipping company. It is the 3rd international container shipping company in the world.

It was established in 1978. Its headquarters is located in the CMA CGM Tower, Marseille, France.

This company served its services worldwide. CMA-CGM uses 257 shipping routes between 420 ports in 160 different countries.

Its North American headquarters are in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. This company has a huge number of employees currently 110,000 and 566 vessels currently available.

The main two businesses are transportation and logistics.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: Private
• Revenue: $31.45 billion
• TEU: 3,167,522
• Vessels: 566
• Headquarters: CMA CGM Tower Marseille, France
• Employees: 110,000

4. COSCO Shipping Lines (COSCO)

COSCO SHIPPING Lines is the Biggest container transportation and shipping company. It is the best shipping company in China.

Its parent company is Chinese state-owned COSCO Shipping. This company was established in April 1962, Its headquarters are situated in Shanghai, China.

China’s Ministry of Communications is a state-owned ocean shipping enterprise in Beijing. The company transportation through Container vessels.

They served worldwide. In 2021, COSCO became one of the first global shipping companies to utilise the blockchain-enabled efficiency improvement application Cargo Release.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: State-owned enterprise
• Revenue: N/A
• TEU: 2,943,120
• Vessels: 1,114
• Headquarters: Shanghai, China
• Employees: 80,000

5. Hapag-Lloyd

Hapag-Lloyd is a German international shipping and container transportation company.

It was started in 1970 through a merger of Hamburg-American Line (HAPAG) and North German Lloyd.

The company’s main industry is Marine transportation container shipping. Its headquarters is located in Hamburg, Germany.

They provide services for cargo shipping products, but here a small number of employees 13,117 and nowadays, Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet comprises a total of 257 container ships, sailing in International Ocean lines.

• Overall Grade: A2
• Ownership: Aktiengesellschaft
• Revenue: 14.5 Billion USD
• TEU: 1,749,399
• Vessels: 257
• Headquarters: Hamburg, Germany
• Employees: 13,177

6. Ocean Network Express (ONE)

Ocean Network Express is a Japanese container transportation and shipping company.

ONE was jointly owned by the Japanese shipping Lines Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and K-Line.

Launched in 2017 as a joint venture with ONE inherited in the container shipping operation of its parent companies, correlated with a combined vessel capacity of about 1.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).

It was founded in 2016 as a joint venture between Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), and K-Line.

Its headquarters is in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the fastest-growing container shipping companies in the world.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: Joint venture
• Revenue: N/A
• TEU: 1,611,060
• Vessels: 220
• Headquarters: Minato, Tokyo, Japan
• Employees: N/A

7. Evergreen Group

Evergreen Group is the organisational designation used by a Taiwan-based conglomerate of shipping, transportation, and associated service companies.

The original Evergreen Marine Corporation was established in 1968 and currently operates as the world’s 7th largest containerised freight shipping company in the world. Its headquarters are located in Taipei, Taiwan.

This company is a privately held company. Evergreen International Corporation includes Evergreen International Hotels, which operates a chain of Evergreen hotels and resorts worldwide.

which operates nine hotels in Taiwan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, and France. Approx 150 container vessels and 560,000 TEUs.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: Private
• Revenue: $14.35 billion
• TEU: 560,000
• Vessels: 150
• Headquarters: Taipei, Taiwan
• Employees: 10k-12k
• Visit Site: https://www.evergreen-line.com/

8. Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM)

HMM Co. Ltd. formerly known as Hyundai Merchant Marine, is a South Korean container transportation and shipping company.

HMM moves a higher portion of South Korea’s exports, becoming the No.1 Korean national container carrier, especially since Hanjin Shipping was declared bankrupt and ordered to be liquidated.

It was started in 1976, and its headquarters is located in Seoul, South Korea. The company provides services worldwide.

• Overall Grade: A2
• Ownership: public sector
• Revenue: N/A
• TEU: 752,604
• Vessels: 110
• Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
• Employees: 1,558

9. Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp.

Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation is a Taiwanese container shipping company located in Keelung, Taiwan.

The company was established in 1972 as a shipping line and its headquarters are situated in Keelung, Taiwan.

They are providing mainly 2 types of services worldwide: shipping services and Logistics services.

Yang Ming currently operates 101 container ships up to 14,000 TEU and 17 bulk carriers in international ocean lines.

The company includes a logistics unit, container terminals in Taiwan, the US, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as stevedoring services (Port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan).

Yang Ming’s service scope covers over 70 nations with more than 170 service points.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: public sector
• Revenue: N/A
• TEU: 628,463
• Vessels: 120
• Headquarters: Keelung, Taiwan
• Employees: N/A

10. Zim Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM)

Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., commonly known as ZIM is an Israeli container transportation and shipping company. It is the top shipping company in Israel.

It is a publicly held Israeli international cargo shipping company, one of the top 20 global carriers and the 10th largest container shipping company in the world.

The company’s headquarters are in Haifa, Israel. It also has another North American headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. ZIM was started in 1945, 77 years ago.

The company’s main 3 businesses are Container shipping, Refrigerated Cargo and Logistics, serving areas worldwide.

They have 107 vessels and all are container ships. The number of employees in this company is 3,794 working.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: Public
• Revenue: $11.87 billion
• TEU: 409,810
• Vessels: 107
• Headquarters: Haifa, Israel
• Employees: 3,794

11. Wan Hai Lines

Wan Hai Lines is a Taiwanese shipping company and the 11th largest container shipping company in the world. It was established in 1965.

Since then, it has become one of the largest players in the container shipping industry and its headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan.

With a fleet of 72 vessels and a capacity of roughly 180,000 TEU and maintained by an estimated 5,000 employees currently working.

It is a privately held company, which mainly works in the transportation of container ships. In 2018, an order was announced for 20 new ships, 8 larger and 12 small ships to be built at Japanese and Chinese Shipyards.

• Overall Grade: A2
• Ownership: Private
• Revenue: N/A
• TEU: 371,037
• Vessels: 80
• Headquarters: Taipei, Taiwan
• Employees: 5,000

12. Pacific International Lines (PIL)

Pacific International Lines is a shipping company incorporated in Singapore. It is the top shipping company in Singapore.

It was founded in March 1967, by Chang Yun Chung, who was the world’s oldest billionaire.

Nowadays, this company is the 12th largest container shipping company in the world.

PIL and COSCO entered into a joint venture chartering agreement, to supply and exchange vessels during shipping demand peak times.

Pacific International Lines have fleets of around 95 vessels involving container, dry bulk and multi-purpose vessels with a capacity of more than 400,000 TEU.

It has also taken delivery of 12 vessels of 11,800 TEU. The company employs over 18,000 staff worldwide, regularly serving about 500 ports in nearly 100 countries worldwide.

• Overall Grade: A1
• Ownership: Private
• Revenue: N/A
• TEU: 252,663
• Vessels: 95
• Headquarters: Singapore
• Employees: 18,000
• Visit Site: https://pilship.com/

Final Thoughts

In this article, I’m trying to describe all types of important perimeters that are really helpful for you to determine the Top 10 container shipping companies in the world.

And make your decision fast, which one company fulfils your need to join the top merchant Navy companies in the world.

These are all the top largest merchant navy companies in the world So, Please leave a comment on which one of your dream companies you want to join.

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