According to data from shipping consultancy Linerlytica, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has become the world’s first container shipping line to operate a fleet of over 1,000 vessels, marking a new industry milestone.

The breakthrough came as MSC took delivery of the 11,480 TEU container ship MSC Michelangelo from China’s Zhoushan Changhong Shipyard, officially pushing its fleet into the four-digit era.

In terms of capacity, MSC currently boasts a total fleet size of approximately 7.3 million TEU, about 57% larger than its main rival Maersk, representing a significant scale advantage. Its total capacity is nearly equivalent to the combined fleet of Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen, and HMM.

Analysts note that MSC has expanded rapidly since the container shipping market entered a boom cycle in 2020, relying mainly on organic growth rather than large-scale mergers and acquisitions.

Regarding the global shipping landscape, the industry continues to face uncertainty stemming from the Middle East situation, exerting ongoing impacts on major trade lanes.

Meanwhile, MSC has also completed an intergenerational ownership transfer. Founder Gianluigi Aponte, 85, has handed over company ownership to his son Diego Aponte and daughter Alexa Aponte, while remaining as Executive Chairman.

Founded in 1970, the shipping giant now operates in 155 countries, with 675 offices, 300 shipping routes, and calls at over 520 ports. It handles an annual volume of around 30 million TEU and employs approximately 200,000 people. Its business has expanded beyond traditional container shipping to inland logistics, terminal operations, and cruises.

Industry-wide, according to Alphaliner data as of mid-April 2026, the global fleet of active container ships reached 7,528 vessels with a total capacity of about 34 million TEU, also setting a new record for the sector.