MSC's fleet and order book exceed 10.47 million TEU, marking a historic milestone in global container shipping capacity.
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has reached a historic milestone, with its combined operational fleet and orderbook surpassing 10.47 million TEU, according to Alphaliner data. This figure, which includes approximately 7.4 million TEU in active capacity and 2.94 million TEU in confirmed newbuilding orders, represents a volume that once equaled the entire global container shipping industry's capacity as of January 2007. Back then, MSC operated just 1.02 million TEU, while Maersk, the largest carrier at the time, held 1.76 million TEU.
In September, MSC further expanded its orderbook by commissioning six 21,700 TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships from China's Zhoushan Changhong International Shipbuilding. Valued at around USD 1.35 billion, these vessels are set for delivery in June 2029, adding 130,200 TEU to its capacity. This marks MSC's fourth major collaboration with Zhoushan Changhong, bringing the total number of vessels ordered from the shipbuilder to over 40, with sizes ranging from 10,300 TEU to 21,700 TEU.
MSC's rapid growth has been remarkable. Its active fleet surpassed 7 million TEU in November 2022, growing by 1 million TEU in just 15 months. Since August 2020, the company has also acquired more than 550 secondhand vessels, underlining its aggressive expansion strategy. Currently, MSC accounts for over 30% of global container capacity when combining its fleet and orderbook against the total global fleet of 34.4 million TEU.
This expansion is not just about increasing tonnage but reflects a strategic effort to secure future capacity. By locking in significant newbuilding production slots, MSC is preparing for fleet renewal and long-term network deployment. While the combined fleet and orderbook figure doesn't directly translate to future operational capacity - as vessels may be sold, scrapped, or returned - it highlights MSC's unprecedented growth trajectory.
Two decades after the global container industry first surpassed 10 million TEU, MSC alone has achieved that scale. This milestone underscores its position as a dominant force in the industry, with no signs of slowing down. MSC's sustained growth points to a deliberate strategy to remain at the forefront of global shipping capacity for years to come.
