CMA CGM regains market leader position on the transpacific

CMA CGM has overhauled Maersk to become the largest carrier on the transpacific. 

Citing data from a survey carried throughout November, Alphaliner has tallied Maersk’s transpacific market share, which is now slightly lower than the same month in 2023 at 13.1%, while its French competitor has 13.2%. COSCO follows a close third with 12.9% (see chart below).

Overall, the transpacific saw a total capacity of 5.37m teu last month, up 4.2% year-on-year. 

There’s conflicting reports on the health of the tradelane connecting Asia with North America.

Analysts at Jefferies, an investment bank, suggest transpacific routes have been under pressure since mid-November with rates on the Asia-US west coast dropping from $5,000 per feu to $4,000 per feu but recent spot quotes are pointing to rates at or below $3,000 per feu. 

More bullish are experts from box booking platform Freightos who argue that frontloading ahead of a possible January port strike on the US east coast and expected tariff hikes next year have kept transpacific ocean rates elevated to start December, with rates to the west coast already above their pre-Lunar New Year 2024 levels seen back in January.