Maersk is a multi-segment operator providing services that include ocean liner services, container terminals, contract logistics and e-commerce fulfillment, customs brokerage, and a growing air cargo arm. In ocean capacity it sits behind MSC but ahead of CMA CGM, COSCO, and Hapag-Lloyd. Reliability has improved with the new Gemini Cooperation network with Hapag-Lloyd, which has been posting 90%+ on-time performance in its early months. For cargo owners, Maersk’s size matters most on trunk trades and at terminals where it controls quay and yard speed.
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What Maersk does
Ocean shipping
Maersk is the world’s No. 2 carrier by owned and chartered TEU capacity. As of the latest public table, MSC has about 6.9M TEU, Maersk about 4.6M, CMA CGM ~4.1M, COSCO ~3.5M, and Hapag-Lloyd ~2.4M. That scale underwrites weekly strings on major east-west lanes and equipment repositioning power that smaller lines cannot match.
Terminals
Through APM Terminals, Maersk controls or co-controls around 60 ports/terminals across roughly 30 countries, including flagship locations and expansions at Maasvlakte II, Salalah, and others. Terminal control translates into faster gate and yard operations, better berth windows, and a more predictable dwell profile.
Logistics & Services
Maersk has spent the last few years buying its way deeper into door-to-door logistics. Acquisitions include Visible SCM in the U.S. for e-commerce fulfillment, B2C Europe for parcel injection and last mile across the EU, Senator International for air forwarding, and LF Logistics in Asia. The aim is a single provider from factory to doorstep.
Air cargo
Maersk Air Cargo runs a freighter fleet centered on 767Fs and 777Fs, with network expansions continuing through 2024–2025. The company has stated it will control a fleet on the order of low-20s aircraft once deliveries and ACMI capacity are counted, which supports time-definite flows and peak bypass.
Portfolio changes.
Maersk demerged Svitzer, its towage business, in April 2024 to sharpen the end-to-end logistics pivot. Svitzer listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen on April 30, 2024.
How big is Maersk right now?
On capacity, Maersk trails MSC but leads CMA CGM, COSCO, and Hapag-Lloyd. On terminals, APMT’s ~60-site footprint is one of the largest controlled networks among liner-linked operators. On P&L, Maersk called 2024 its third-best year ever, with EBIT up sharply and 2025 guidance framed around a wide range given macro and geopolitics.
Where scale turns into advantage.
- Vessel strings and box availability on core lanes.
- Priority at owned or affiliated terminals.
- Procurement leverage for fuel, charters, and equipment.
The catch: chokepoints and conflict zones can still swamp scale benefits.
Alliances, network design, and reliability
The 2M partnership with MSC ended. Since early 2025, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd run the Gemini Cooperation, a redesigned network that has posted 90–93% schedule reliability in initial reporting, well ahead of other groupings. That reliability delta shows up in fewer rollings and more predictable arrival windows.
Maersk vs the other giants
MSC – bigger on pure ocean capacity and still adding ships. Maersk counters with a heavier terminals footprint and a deeper push into integrated logistics. For shippers, that means MSC may win on frequency and slot availability while Maersk can win on end-to-end control and terminal velocity.
CMA CGM – CMA CGM is following a parallel integration play. It owns CEVA Logistics and is expanding CMA CGM Air Cargo with additional 777Fs and a large A350F order book. Expect growing head-to-head overlap with Maersk in fulfillment-adjacent services.
COSCO Group – state-backed scale with strong Asia reach and broad terminal stakes through affiliates. On TEU it sits behind CMA CGM but ahead of Hapag-Lloyd.
Hapag-Lloyd – smaller fleet than the top three, but now tightly linked to Maersk via Gemini. The pairing positions reliability as the differentiator rather than raw TEU.
What this means for cargo owners
If you buy port-to-port. Treat Maersk as a cornerstone allocation on east-west corridors where it runs dense strings and owns terminal capacity. Watch free time, transshipment exposure, and emergency surcharges on conflict-affected routings.
If you buy door-to-door. A single integrator reduces handoffs and can surface exceptions earlier, especially where the same group touches origin CFS, mainline, destination terminal, and final mile. The trade-off is vendor concentration. Keep a rival forwarder or carrier in your mix for agility.
Procurement playbook.
- Anchor with Maersk where Gemini reliability is showing a sustained edge.
- Hold flexible capacity with MSC or another major for price discovery and contingency.
- Split lanes by risk: high-value goods on the most reliable strings, low-urgency boxes on cheaper routings.
Where a 3PL fits in the picture
Carriers move boxes. A 3PL like Speed Commerce handles storage & warehousing, inventory placement, B2C fulfillment, returns, and the OMS/WMS plumbing that protects marketplace and retail SLAs. In practice, many brands pair Maersk’s transport with third-party warehousing and last-mile to keep customer-visible metrics steady when port or lane conditions shift.
Quick FAQs
Is Maersk a shipping line or a logistics company? Both. Ocean is still the core, but terminals, logistics, and air are meaningful and growing.
Who is bigger, MSC or Maersk? MSC on ships. Maersk on integrated scope and terminals.
What changed with Gemini? A Maersk–Hapag network designed for on-time performance above 90% across trades, which early data supports.
Should I buy door-to-door from Maersk or unbundle? If you value fewer handoffs and fast exception handling, a single stack can work. If you want price tension and modularity, split providers and keep some spot flexibility.
Sources
- Alphaliner Top 100 carrier capacities, accessed Oct 2025.
- Hapag-Lloyd on Gemini reliability.
- Sea-Intelligence schedule-reliability press update, Aug 1, 2025.
- APM Terminals footprint and expansions; company site and reference data.
- Maersk investor and newsroom: 2024 results; Gemini aims; air cargo fleet updates; acquisitions of Visible SCM and B2C Europe.
- Svitzer demerger timeline and listing details.
- CMA CGM Air Cargo fleet expansion.
