The global fleet of container ships has reached several historical records simultaneously, according to data collected in Alphaliner's Global Fleet Snapshot for March 2026. For the first time in history, the number of active cellular vessels in operation has surpassed the barrier of 6,700, with a total of 6,706 vessels adding up to a combined capacity of 33.6 million TEUs. When all types of active vessels are included, the figure rises to 7,518 ships with a total capacity close to 34 million TEUs.
Another highlighted record from the report is the new weekly capacity deployed on the Far East-Europe route, which has surpassed 530,000 TEUs per week in March, beating its own historical mark for the second consecutive month. The previous record, of 520,000 TEUs per week, was established at the end of February 2026. This commercial route is now practically at the same level as the transpacific route, which records a weekly capacity of 534,552 TEUs, while the transatlantic route remains at 167,563 TEUs per week.
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company continues to consolidate its position as the largest shipping line in the world and is approaching the symbolic barrier of 1,000 operated vessels. According to Alphaliner data, the Geneva-based company currently operates 992 vessels with a combined capacity of 7.26 million TEUs, representing 21.5% of the entire global container fleet. Its order book amounts to 2.16 million TEUs, a 30% increase over its current fleet.
The analysis of the order books of the ten largest shipping companies in the world reveals divergent growth strategies among the major companies in the sector. Evergreen is the shipping line in the top 10 with the most aggressive bet in proportion to its existing fleet, with orders equivalent to 46% of its current capacity (0.91 million TEUs over a fleet of 1.97 million). Following are CMA CGM, with 43% (1.83 million TEUs in orders versus 4.25 million in operation), and COSCO Shipping, with 39% (1.40 million over 3.59 million). At the opposite end, Hapag-Lloyd presents itself as the most conservative among the top five, with orders representing 20% of its current fleet (0.48 million TEUs). Outside the top 10, Wan Hai, in the eleventh position of the ranking, maintains the most aggressive position of all shipping companies, with an order book equivalent to 73% of its existing fleet.
Maersk, the second-largest shipping line in the world with 4.64 million TEUs in operation, has orders for 1.22 million TEUs, 26% of its current capacity, the same percentage as ONE (Ocean Network Express), which operates 2.13 million TEUs. HMM records 23% (0.23 million over 1.03 million), Yang Ming 31% (0.22 million over 0.72 million), and Zim 27% (0.19 million over 0.70 million).
Alphaliner data also highlights substantial differences in fleet management models among large shipping companies. HMM and Evergreen operate with a very small percentage of chartered vessels—17.9% and 29.6%, respectively—representing a capital-intensive model but with total control over their capacity base. On the opposite side, Ocean Network Express and Yang Ming adopt an approach with less weight of owned assets, with 53.7% and 51.9% of chartered tonnage, respectively, a strategy that prioritizes operational flexibility over ownership commitments.
