Top 10 Largest Container Shipping Companies in the UK
This article provides an overview of the UK’s top 10 container shipping companies. As a significant player in global trade, the UK relies heavily on efficient container shipping companies.
Thus, with multiple options, selecting the right companies can be vital for businesses seeking to transport goods cheaply.
The UK is a central hub for international trade. It is home to an extensive web of ports that enable container shipping to and from destinations worldwide.
Top 10 Largest Container Shipping Companies in the UK
The UK’s strategic location at the crossroads of major international shipping routes has long made it an essential player in global trade and shipping. This unique position allows the UK to act as a gateway between Europe, North America, and the rest of the world.
Several container shipping companies operate within the UK, offering services for transporting cargo across international waters.
They help the UK efficiently and safely export goods such as consumer products, raw materials, and machinery and import machinery and raw materials from abroad.
Here are some of the best container shipping companies in the UK:
Mediterranean Shipping Company
- Founding Date: 1970.
- Head Office: Geneva, Switzerland
- Fleet Size: over 800 vessels, serving over 500 ports worldwide.
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, Southampton, London Gateway
- UK Office Location: Ipswich, Suffolk.
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to Africa, UK to Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, UK to Australia and Oceania, etc.
- Services: Container shipping, reefer cargo, & intermodal transport
- Official website: www.msc.com
MSC is the largest container shipping company worldwide. It operates in 675 offices in 155 countries. It sails on more than 260 trade routes, calling at over 520 global ports. In addition, it sends mainly dry cargo. Furthermore, its trade routes enable the flow of goods from the UK to Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania, and vice versa.
Maersk Group
- Founding Date: 1928
- Head Office: Copenhagen, Denmark
- Fleet Size: over 700 vessels, serving over 500 ports worldwide.
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, Southampton, and London Gateway
- UK Office Location: Docklands, London.
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to Africa, UK to Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, UK to Australia and Oceania, UK to Mediterranean, UK to Europe.
- Services: Container Shipping and Integrated Logistics
- Official website: www.maersk.com
Maersk is one of the largest container shipping companies and the largest operating subsidiary of the Maersk Group. It operates in 130 countries and sails on over 200 trade routes, calling at over 300 ports globally.
CMA CGM GROUP
- Founding Date: 1978
- Head Office: Marseille, France
- Fleet Size: Operates a fleet of over 600 vessels, covering more than 420 ports across 160 countries.
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, Southampton, & London Gateway
- UK Office Location: Liverpool.
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and UK to Africa and Latin America.
- Services: Container management, freight delivery, and logistics.
- Official website: www.cmacgm.com
CMA CGM is the third-largest container shipping company in the world. It operates in 160 countries through 400 offices, 750 warehouses, 155,000 employees, and a vast fleet of over 600 vessels. In addition, it serves 420 of the world’s 521 commercial ports and operates 257 shipping routes. Furthermore, it offers solutions, including container management, freight delivery, and logistics.
COSCO Shipping
- Founding Date: 1961
- Head Office: Shanghai, China
- Fleet Size: Operates a fleet of over 500 vessels
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, Southampton, Liverpool, London Gateway
- UK Office: London
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to Africa, UK to Middle East & Indian Subcontinent, UK to Mediterranean, UK to Europe.
- Services: Container Shipping, Intermodal Transportation, Logistics Solutions:
- Official website: http://en.coscocs.com/
COSCO is a Chinese government-owned shipping company. It operates in 141 countries, serves 575 commercial ports, and operates 257 shipping routes. In addition, The COSCO fleet stops at more than 200 ports worldwide. It ships mainly dry cargo to Europe, North America, Africa, and South America. The company is one of the world’s most renowned dry bulk shipping operators.
Hapag Lloyd
- Founding Date: 1970
- Head Office: Hamburg, Germany
- Fleet Size: Over 200 vessels
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, Port of Southampton, and Port of Liverpool
- UK Office Location: London
- Trade Routes: UK to North America, UK to Middle East, UK to Mediterranean, UK to Europe.
- Services: Container Shipping and Logistics & Supply Chain Solutions
- Official website: www.hapag-lloyd.com
This container shipping company serves 130 countries through 400 offices in 135 countries. Its fleet stops at 600 ports on all continents to provide fast and reliable global trade links. Hapag-Lloyd was formed in 1970 through a merger between Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft (HAPAG) and Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL), two historic German shipping lines.
Evergreen Marine
- Founding Date: 1968
- Head Office: Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Fleet Size: Fleet: Over 200 vessels
- UK Presence: London Gateway, Port of Felixstowe, Port of Liverpool
- UK Office Location: London.
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to the Middle East & UK to the Mediterranean.
- Services: Container Shipping, Logistics and Inland Services, and eCommerce Services
- Official website: www.evergreen-marine.com
Evergreen Marine Corporation is an established Taiwanese largest container shipping company. Also, it calls on 240 ports worldwide in about 80 countries. Its top trading routes are East Asia to North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Also, East Asia to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, and Europe to the East Coast of North America. Furthermore, there is East Asia to Australia, East Asia to Eastern and Southern Africa, and East Asia to South America route. Then, there is East Asia to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.
ONE Express
- Founding Date: 2017
- Head Office: Singapore
- Fleet Size: Over 200 vessels
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, London Gateway, and Port of Southampton
- UK Office Location: London, Birmingham, and Manchester.
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to Europe, UK to the Mediterranean, and UK to the Middle East
- Services: Container Shipping & Integrated Logistics Solutions
- Official website: www.one-line.com
Ocean Network Express is a relatively young container shipping company. Although its global headquarters is in Singapore, it has a holding office in Tokyo, Japan. It operates in over 120 countries. In addition, it sails on more than 200 trade routes, calling at over 300 ports worldwide. The company is a joint venture, with shares distributed between NYK (38%), MOL (31%), and K-Line (31%).
Hyundai Merchant Marine
- Founding Date: 1976
- Head Office: Seoul, South Korea
- Fleet Size: Less than 100 fleets
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, Southampton, and London Gateway
- UK Office Location: Manchester
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to Mediterranean, and UK to Europe.
- Services: Container Shipping, Logistics and Supply Chain Solutions, Bulk and Special Cargo
- Official website: www.hmm21.com
Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) is another international container shipping company. Its vessels cover over 50 shipping routes to more than 100 ports worldwide. In addition, HMM has a vast global network of 6 regional headquarters, 27 subsidiaries, and 60 branch offices.
Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation
- Founding Date: 1972
- Head Office: Keelung Taiwan
- Fleet: Less than 100 fleets
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, Southampton, and London Gateway
- UK Office Location: Manchester
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to the Mediterranean, and UK to the Middle East
- Services: Container Shipping, Logistics Solutions, and Specialized Services
- Official website: www.yangming.com
Yang Ming Transport Corporation is another international shipping company. It has invested in Taipei and Kaohsiung Harbors terminals in Taiwan, Los Angeles in the US, and Antwerp in Belgium. The company’s primary services include global shipping and logistics. It provides container transportation services to customers across Asia, Europe, America, and Australia.
Zim Integrated Shipping Services
- Founding date: 1945
- Head Office: Haifa, Israel
- Fleet Size: over 100 vessels
- UK Presence: Port of Felixstowe, Liverpool, Southampton, and London Gateway
- UK Office Location: London.
- Trade Routes: UK to Asia, UK to North America, UK to Middle East, UK to Mediterranean, UK to Europe.
- Services: Container shipping, Logistics Solutions, Specialized cargo
- Official website: www.zim.com
ZIM is Israel’s largest container shipping company. Also, it has 170 offices and representatives in over 100 countries. The company serves over 180 ports worldwide. Apart from Haifa, it has a regional HQ located in Virginia (USA), Liverpool (UK), Hamburg (Germany), etc. Its services include dry and reefer container shipping and logistics. Its leading trade routes include Asia to Africa, America, Europe, Oceania, and South America East Coast. Med to North America, North Europe, and South America East Coast shipping routes also exist. Thus, ZIM operates services across multiple trade routes, connecting major markets in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America.
