Shipping alliances consolidated from 4 to 3
Independent shipping lines’ market power decreased as global carriers banded together into three, larger alliances.
A string of deals shifted the makeup of each alliance
Today’s three alliances contain a motley crew of former partners. The chart below displays who is in which alliance, and their allegiance in 2016.
Deals lead major shipping lines to boost capacity
Carriers invested heavily in more and larger vessels, at times growing their capacity at triple-digit rates.
Major carriers benefit from consolidation, gaining market power
At the start of 2016, roughly 20 carriers could claim to control at least 1% of market share. Today, that number has fallen to 16, with six shipping lines rising far above the rest in terms of capacity.
