Maritime shipping is one of the most important factors affecting the global trade movement throughout the ages, as it is used in the vast majority of transport and shipping traffic at the level of trade in the world because of its multiple advantages that make it the best and most reliable option for goods shipping. During this topic, we will review with you the most important shipping lines and maritime companies in the world, the size of the containers they own, as well as the volume of what they rent to fully cover their activities.

Why does global trade depend on sea shipping?

Despite the great scientific and technological development that the air or land navigation sector is witnessing, maritime navigation and maritime transport remain the optimal option upon which global shipping movement depends over the ages for many reasons, the most important of which is that maritime transport is less expensive and safer than other types Other transport and since the cost factor is one of the most important factors affecting the movement of trade. Therefore, this point is one of the strengths of shipping and maritime transport. As workers in the field of trade seek to reduce costs and achieve a greater profit margin, while at the same time providing the safety and security factor for products and goods that are transported, which is what marine transport provides greatly.

The most important shipping lines companies in the world

There are many major maritime and shipping lines companies that largely control the movement of navigation and maritime transport in the world thanks to the strong maritime fleet they own, whether they own some of them or lease some of the others to satisfy the needs that are required of them and the most prominent of these companies:

1. Maersk: It is a global shipping company headquartered in Denmark. It was founded in 1904 in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, and owns nearly 700 shipping vessels with a total tonnage of three million and 880 thousand containers. This company is the largest in the world and has the largest maritime fleet as it owns the largest container marine carrier, Emma Maersk.
2. MSC: It is the second largest shipping line around the world and owns about 475 sea freight ships with a total tonnage of 3 million 118 thousand containers.
3. CMA CGM: It is a French company headquartered in the United States of America. It occupies the third position with 494 vessels owned by the company and the charterer.
4. COSCO: It occupies the fourth position in the global maritime market share. It is a Chinese company with 331 ships, of which it fully owns 82 vessels and leases the rest.
5. HAPAG Lloyd: It is a sea transport company headquartered in Germany with activities and sites in 125 countries around the world and has a fleet of about 230 cargo ships, according to the figures announced on the company’s website, and that company has been merged with the United Arab Company.
6. One: It is a new Japanese shipping line that came after the merger of several major maritime transport companies under the banner of this new line. The company owns 228 vessels owned by the company and chartered with a total tonnage of about one million and 534 thousand containers.
7. EVER GREEN: It is a Taiwanese company headquartered in Luzhou. Its fleet consists of about 200 cargo ships with a total tonnage of one million and 111 thousand marine containers.
8. Yang Ming Pacific: It is a Taiwanese company that owns in its fleet nearly 100 cargo ships with a total tonnage of 610 thousand containers for maritime transport.
9.  APL: It is a container and maritime shipping company based in Singapore and a subsidiary of the French shipping company CMA CGM. It owns a fleet of marine container ships with 153 cargo ships.
10. OOCL: It is a shipping and container company headquartered in Hong Kong. Its fleet consists of more than 59 cargo ships.