As the largest container line in the world, AP-Moller-Maersk, or Maersk (Line) as it is most commonly known, has a total TEU market-share of 15.4%.
According to its website, Maersk was founded by A.P. Møller and his father, Captain Peter Mærsk Møller, in 1904.
By 1920, Maersk had received an order for its first ship – the Robert Maersk – followed by its first diesel-powered vessel, the Leise Mærsk.
Shipping Insight #1: Ship Spotting. (Source: PTI)
The late 1930s saw Maersk become the second largest shipping line in Denmark, followed by a period of serving the US Navy during the Second World War.
Maersk added its first container ship – the Svendborg Mærsk – to its fleet in 1973 which had a total capacity of 1,800 TEU.
By the early 80s, Maersk opened its own service along the Europe-Far East trade route and by the end of the 1990s, its capacity per-ship had reached 3,000 TEU.
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Shipping Insight #1: Maersk. (Source: Maersk)
Maersk set its first world record in 2003 with the 9,000 TEU Axel Maersk, and broke the record again in 2006 with the 11,000-TEU Emma Maersk.
During recent years, Maersk has expanded its fleet further with the introduction of its Triple-E class vessels, which are able to carry 18,000 TEU.
In a bid to jointly-operate along the Mediterranean, Nothern Europe, the US and Asia, Maersk attempted to join up with CMA CGM and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in its proposed P3 alliance.
Shipping Insight #1: Maersk. (Source: PTI)
However, after China’s decision not to approve P3, Maersk founded a new alliance with MSC – the 2M vessel-sharing agreement – in an effort to improve each line’s profitability and operational efficiency.
