Maersk took over the top position from COSCO after deploying 343,021 TEU across 108 vessels in mid-August and adding around 34,000 TEU year on year. This is the largest nominal increase among operators in the region.

Alphaliner partly attributes the expansion to the Gemini Cooperation’s hub-and-spoke network, which uses a broad range of Asian shuttle services to feed larger east-west vessels at key hubs.

COSCO ranked second with 315,162 TEU despite operating more than 120 vessels, as its capacity remained almost unchanged from the previous year. Maersk’s average vessel size of 3,176 TEU was the highest among the leading intra-Asia operators.

CMA CGM recorded the second-largest capacity increase, adding 15,000 TEU and overtaking Evergreen to take third place with 214,406 TEU. Evergreen followed with 205,593 TEU, while MSC’s deployed capacity declined by 2% to 166,542 TEU. Regional specialist SITC ranked sixth with around 157,000 TEU across 109 vessels.

Alphaliner estimates total capacity on international intra-Asian services, excluding domestic trades, at just under 2.6 million TEU - up 6.2% year on year and ahead of growth in the global container fleet.

More than 80 shipping lines compete in the market, which remains highly fragmented: regional and feeder carriers account for 37% of deployed slots, while the major global lines control over 63% of deployed slots with fewer but larger vessels.