Mediterranean Shipping Co No 1 in exports, Maersk in imports

THE world`s top 40 container lines transport 98.8 per cent of global box volumes, with Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) seeing a 26.3 per cent increase in throughput from the first quarter of 2009 and taking the No 1 export spot from previous leader Maersk Line.

But Maersk held its first place in US imports, according to Newark`s Journal of Commerce`s Top 40 Container Lines. It said that Maersk led in overall US import volume with 11.4 per cent market share for the first quarter of 2010. MSC ranked second with 8.5 per cent market share.


Twelve carriers posted year-on-year increases of more than 25 per cent in imports during the first quarter; nine had increases of more than 25 per cent in exports, according to data provided by PIERS Global Intelligence Solutions.


APL climbed from sixth place to third position in import volumes and from No 5 to fourth spot in exports with solid year on year gains in market share.


Also in the top five were Evergreen Line, Hapag-Lloyd in third place in exports and Hanjin Shipping in fifth place for imports.