News / Tradelanes: Maersk leads as carriers boost intra-Europe capacity

Photo: VesselFinder

Spurred by the requirements of its hub-and-spoke network design under the Gemini Cooperation, Maersk has been the biggest growing intra-Europe carrier over the past year.

According to new analysis from Alphaliner, the Danish shipping line saw its intra-Europe market share – measured by capacity provided – jump from 8.5% in February 2025, to 12.1% today

It has added more vessels and increased the average ship size deployed, pushing its intra-Europe capacity from 101,500 teu to 146,500 teu, the largest expansion of any carrier in the trade.

“With 49 containerships deployed, Maersk is operating 12 more than last year, while the carrier has simultaneously increased its average ship size from 2,742 teu to 2,989 teu,” reports Alphaliner.

“Maersk’s disproportionately high growth in capacity and market share comes as no surprise. The carrier’s extra 45,000 teu capacity mainly originates from the ‘hub and spoke’ concept that Maersk implemented last year with ‘Gemini’ partner Hapag-Lloyd,” it added.

The increase was accompanied by a 18,000 teu decline in capacity offered by its Gemini partner, Hapag-Lloyd, halving its market share, from 2.8% to 1.3%.

Alphaliner said: “In particular, Hapag-Lloyd has completely withdrawn its intra-Med capacity of 15,200 teu. Instead, the carrier now offers various loops via slot agreements, most notably with its Gemini partner Maersk.”

Overall capacity deployed on intra-Europe services is currently 1.21m teu, just 1.9% more than the 1.89m teu this time last year – with just 20,000 teu added.

However, this is broadly in line with volume developments in 2025 – according to Container Trades Statistics (CTS), total intra-Europe container traffic last year was 8.3m teu, 2.3% up on 2024…

Source: CTS

… while pricing appears to have mostly been stronger, although recent dips are likely to encourage further capacity discipline by carriers

Source: CTS

Meanwhile, MSC has cemented its position as the undisputed leader, adding 30,000 teu to take its market share up to 30.6%, and has opened nine new intra-Europe services, including one from the Baltic to Morocco, via North Europe and Iberia.

Source: Alphaliner

The second largest intra-European carrier, CMA CGM, increased its capacity by 27,500 teu and its market share went up to 19.2%, which meant that “mainline operators increased their dominance in the intra-European feeder segment”, noted Alphaliner.

“They achieved a combined market share of 74.6% (up from 70.4% last year), leaving 25.4% for the common feeder operators.”

Cosco completes the top four, followed by Unifeeder and X-Press Feeders, with 5.2% and 3.2% market share respectively, but more interesting is the apparently divergent fortunes of Turkish carriers. The largest, Arkas, reduced capacity by 18,000 teu while compatriot Akkan Lines overtook Hapag-Lloyd to take tenth spot – although its strong growth comes from a low base.

But Alphaliner confirmed: “Akkon Lines made the biggest jump in the league of Europe’s largest operators.

“The Istanbul-based line has added 29%, or 3,600 teu, of extra capacity (15,800 teu vs 12,200 teu) as it launched a new North Europe-Med loop and a new intra-West Med shuttle,” the analyst added.