The French shipping company CMA CGM could become the second largest container shipping company in the world before the end of 2027, surpassing the Danish Maersk in fleet capacity.
This was stated by the president and CEO of CMA CGM, Rodolphe Saadé, who believes that the overtaking could occur in the next 18 months. According to data from the consulting firm Linerlytica, this change could happen even sooner, during the summer of 2027.
An Ever-Narrowing Gap
Currently, MSC holds the global lead with a capacity close to 7.3 million TEU, followed by Maersk, with about 4.7 million TEU, and CMA CGM, with around 4.4 million TEU.
The gap between Maersk and the French company has narrowed in recent years due to the growth of CMA CGM’s fleet and its extensive portfolio of new ships under construction. Meanwhile, the Danish company has taken a different path, focusing its efforts on developing an integrated logistics model and being more cautious in adding new ships to its fleet.
While it is true that leading the ranking by capacity does not guarantee greater profitability, it remains to be seen whether the forecasts will ultimately be fulfilled and CMA CGM will overtake the Danish shipping company.