MAERSK remained the No 1 box carrier, in Alphaliner's annual capacity Fleet Review ranking of the top 20 container shipping carriers in the world.

The Danish carrier increased capacity 12 per cent in 2014 to 2.89 million TEU with the delivery of nine 18,000 TEUers as well 19 chartered newbuildings, including 4,900-5,500 TEU ships for African and Indian service.

Maersk was also active on the charter market, with a net addition of 120,000 TEU. In 2015, the carrier will take delivery of its remaining seven Triple-E units, together with four chartered ships of 9,000 - 10,000 TEU.

In No 2 spot remains Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) with an operated fleet increase of seven per cent to 2.54 million TEU, having received a "relatively small number of newbuildings" last year.

"MSC will see a massive capacity expansion this year, as 30 new ships with a total capacity of 357,000 TEU are scheduled for delivery to the carrier in 2015," said Alphaliner.

No 3 is Marseilles-based CMA CGM again, which increased its fleet nine per cent or by 139,000 TEU year on year. The French Line took delivery of nine long-term chartered newbuildings, including four wide-beam neo-panamax ships of 9,200-10,600 TEU from Chinese owner CIMC.

No 4 is Germany's Hapag-Lloyd, recently merged with Chile's CSAV, which resulted in their combined fleet to shrink two per cent or by 18,000 TEU in 2014. The two lines received five owned newbuildings in 2014, of three 13,100-TEU ships for Hapag-Lloyd and three 8,600 - 9,300 TEU ships for CSAV.

No 5 is Taiwan's Evergreen which increased its fleet 12 per cent or by 99,000 TEU in 2014, receiving 187,000 TEU of newbuildings.

"With only four 'L' class ships of 8,500 TEU due this year, the carrier will take a breather until 2016, when 10 long-term chartered units of 14,000 TEU will join the Evergreen fleet," said Alphaliner.

No 6 is Cosco, having increased its fleet six per cent or by 49,000 TEU, after the delivery of four newbuildings of 13,400 TEU, a gain made possible by Beijing's fleet renewal subsidies.

No 7 is China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) whose fleet grew 14 per cent or by 81,000 TEU in 2014. China Shipping's 18,900 TEU sisters CSCL Globe and CSCL Pacific Ocean delivered in November and December rivaled each other as the world's biggest containership, until the 19,200-TEU MSC Oscar took the title.

No 8 was Korea's Hanjin Shipping despite a fleet that shrunk three per cent or 19.000 TEU, as the company struggled, resulting in a rescue by Hanjin Group and the removal of its chairwoman.

Hanjin's newbuilding programme is limited to two remaining 10,000 TEU ships chartered from Seaspan, due in the first quarter of 2015, and four 9,000 TEU ships financed by the Turkish Ciner Group.

No 9 is Japan's MOL increased its operated fleet 11 per cent or by 59,000 TEU in 2014. The carrier added 93,000 TEU from newbuilding deliveries, including two 13,900-TEUers chartered from G6 partner, APL, and one owned 8,600-TEU ship, the last of ten 8,000-,8600 TEU ships ordered in 2004, 2005 and 2011.

No 10 is Singapore's APL, ending a "miserable year" with a 12 per cent decrease of its operated fleet, the largest fall among the Top-20 carriers.

Despite receiving 83,000 TEU of newbuilding capacity, the carrier registered a 79,000 TEU reduction. New ships included the last two 13,900-TEUers of a 10-ship order from 2011. APL also received six new 9,200-TEU ships, first planned the transpacific trade, but now bound for West Asian service.

The top 20 by capacity are ranked by Alphaliner as follows: Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen, Cosco, CSCL, Hanjin, MOL, APL, Hamburg Sud, OOCL, NYK, Yang Ming, PIL, Hyundai, "K" Line, UASC, Zim and Wan Hai.

*NEWS SOURCE