Maersk Moves Up to Second in Northern Europe
Intra-Northern Europe container capacity rose 6.8%, while Maersk increased its market share to move into second place. MSC retained the lead.
Compared with July 2025, service capacity on intra-North Europe routes increased by 6.8% (approximately 20,000 TEU). Carriers deployed 243 vessels this year, compared with 235 vessels operating in the same period last year, while the average vessel capacity also increased from 1,253 TEU to 1,294 TEU. Alphaliner calculated this by comparing the current market share of each carrier offering a regular intra-North Europe container shipping service with the same period a year earlier.
Maersk moved back into second place among the largest mainline operators (MLOs) in Northern Europe. The Danish company increased its capacity share from 13.5% (39,800 TEU) last year to 16.2% (50,800 TEU), recording an increase of 2.7 percentage points. This was the largest increase among all operators active in the segment. The main reason for the disproportionate growth in capacity and market share was the hub-and-spoke network model that the company implemented last year with its Gemini partner Hapag-Lloyd.
MSC maintained its leadership in terms of deployed capacity. The Geneva-based company held a market share of 21.2% this year, compared with 21.3% last year. While the company increased its capacity by 6.2% (against a 6.8% increase across the overall market), it continued to hold the largest market share among all carriers operating on intra-North Europe routes.
DP World moved back into third place in the ranking of intra-North Europe route carriers. The company held a market share of 11.0%, compared with 12.2% last year. The UAE-based port, maritime and logistics giant had stopped using the Unifeeder brand, under which it operated its intra-North Europe network, in late 2025.
CMA CGM was the only mainline operator in the intra-North Europe segment to experience a decline in both capacity and market share. The French company reduced its capacity from 35,300 TEU to 30,200 TEU, a decrease of 14.4%. Its market share fell from 12.0% to 9.6%, moving the company into fourth place.
Asian mainline operators, meanwhile, continued to invest in intra-North Europe trade, adding a total of 4,700 TEU of additional capacity over the past 12 months.
Ocean Network Express (ONE) maintained the momentum it gained last year, moving up from ninth to seventh place. COSCO Group increased its market share from 2.5% last year to 2.9%, consolidating its ninth-place position among Northern Europe’s largest operators.
