THE Alliance

What shippers should know about ocean carrier alliance changes in 2025

Timing is everything, but as international ocean container lines ready the February launch of reorganized alliances and vessel-sharing agreements, a miasma of global events is sure to put pressure on carefully crafted business plans.

The reshuffle is headlined by a pair of notable carrier groupings.

The Premier Alliance of ONE, Yang Ming and HMM is the newly named version of the former THE Alliance, which Hapag-Lloyd departed to partner with Maersk. 

ONE (Ocean Network Express) was formed in 2016...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/what-shippers-should-know-about-ocean-carrier-alliance-changes-in-2025

Sea-Intelligence analyzes port-pair data in container alliances

The current structure of the container shipping alliances [2M, THE and Ocean alliances] has been present since April 2017 and will last a few more weeks before new groupings are formed in February 2025.

Danish maritime data analysis firm Sea-Intelligence has used ‘offered port-pairs,’ an important metric, to analyze market trends over the past eight years.

The following figures show the distinct port-pairs offered by each alliance on both Asia-North America West Coast (NAWC) and Asia-North Europe...

https://container-news.com/sea-intelligence-analyzes-port-pair-data-in-container-alliances/

2M crowned most reliable container alliance over eight years

Since April 2017, the container shipping industry has operated under a three-alliance structure comprising the Ocean Alliance, THE Alliance, and 2M Alliance.

This structure, which will be reshaped in February 2025, has significantly influenced trends in schedule reliability over nearly eight years. To better contextualize these trends, Danish maritime data analysis firm Sea-Intelligence developed the following graph to evaluate each alliance’s annual performance.

The Danish analysts explained:...

https://container-news.com/2m-crowned-most-reliable-container-alliance-over-eight-years/

Carrier alliance market shares set for shake-up

Since April 2017, the three-alliance structure comprising Ocean Alliance, THE Alliance, and the 2M alliance has shaped the shipping industry.

After nearly eight years, this structure is set to change in February 2025 with the introduction of new alliance arrangements. The Gemini Cooperation (Maersk – Hapag-Lloyd), Premier Alliance (HMM – ONE- Yang Ming) and Ocean Alliance (CMA CGM – COSCO – Evergreen – OOCL) retaining its structure, will now form the new container shipping alliance landscape.

Capa...

https://container-news.com/carrier-alliance-market-shares-set-for-shake-up/

New alliance formation intensifies battle between major lines

With the container shipping alliance landscape expected to change in less than five months, it is worth examining the current dynamics of the alliances and how they are expected to evolve when the new alliances are formed.

Currently, the 2M Alliance, composed of Maersk and MSC, continues to hold the leading position with the largest fleet capacity. Ocean Alliance (including CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen and OOCL) follows closely, while THE Alliance (Hapag Lloyd, HMM, Yang Ming and ONE) remains in...

https://container-news.com/new-alliance-formation-intensifies-battle-between-major-lines/

Booming May rates mask the looming capacity bomb

Massive increases in container shipping rates since 2 May are the consequence of Asian port congestion, US import demand, reduced Asia to Europe capacity and the ongoing geopolitical risks seen in the Red Sea, sending rates soaring by 28.8% in two weeks.

Drewry Shipping consultants said that average container freight rates had fallen week-on-week by 2.6% between 25 January and early May, boosting the top line of container shipping companies and their share prices by 19% this year so far.

However,...

https://container-news.com/booming-may-rates-mask-the-looming-capacity-bomb/

Red Sea crisis still leaves alliances short of ships, as newbuildings fully absorbed

The three container shipping alliances are still short of 36 ships, or 10% of the required tonnage, to entirely fulfill their 25 Asia – Europe loops as of 10 May.

Despite record newbuilding deliveries this year, and 1.14 million TEUs delivered so far, the Red Sea crisis has soaked up all available tonnage.

Alphaliner’s report says, “Taking into account that the average vessel size on this trade currently stands at 14,150 TEUs, some 509,400 extra slots are still needed. This represents 9.6% of the...

https://container-news.com/red-sea-crisis-still-leaves-alliances-short-of-ships-as-newbuildings-fully-absorbed/

Container shipping alliance landscape: Dominant OCEAN Alliance extension leaves THE Alliance stranded

The extension of cooperation among OCEAN Alliance partners has established a framework for the operation of major container lines in the coming years.

As CMA CGM, COSCO, along with its subsidiary OOCL, and Evergreen will remain under the OCEAN Alliance umbrella until 2032 and Maersk has already announced its upcoming partnership with Hapag-Lloyd, effective from February 2025, the members of THE Alliance seem in an unfavourable position. Meanwhile, MSC and ZIM have already signed a partnership...

https://container-news.com/container-shipping-alliance-landscape-dominant-ocean-alliance-extension-leaves-the-alliance-stranded/

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