ALPHALINER's latest report shows that the major container shipping alliances control just 39 per cent of the global box shipping fleet, far below the 80 per cent they previously had.

The consultancy's latest count shows that the capacity operated by the 2M, THE and Ocean alliances fell to a three-year low in January.

Alphaliner said: "Despite frequent claims the alliances control 80 per cent of the container fleet, an Alphaliner survey shows the nine carriers that form the three major alliances operate the majority of their capacity outside their alliance agreements. The actual amount of capacity operated under 'alliance services' is equivalent to a steady 38 per cent to 41 per cent of the total fleet based on data from the last five years."

While the alliances' members (MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO Group, Evergreen Marine Corporation, ONE, Hapag-Lloyd, HMM, and Yang Ming Marine Transport) control almost 83 per cent of the global fleet, many of these ships are operated independently, with just 39 per cent run under alliance agreements.

Alliance service concentration rises on specific routes, particularly long-haul trades that need large tonnage and a minimum number of ships in order to ensure sufficient rotations.

Some 94 per cent of capacity on the Far East - Europe (North Europe and Mediterranean) trade is currently operated under alliance services. This constitutes the longest of the major east-west routes, and presents the highest barrier to entry for new carriers, with services requiring at least 10 ships of at least 13,000 TEU to stay competitive.

On the transpacific, alliance services represent 81 per cent of total capacity.

On the shorter transatlantic route, where fewer ships are needed to maintain service rotation, alliance services represent just 47 per cent of total capacity.

Transpacific and transatlantic alliance shares have partly fallen because MSC, which will end its alliance with Maersk in 2025, is increasingly going solo.

Having dethroned Maersk at the top of the liner rankings in early 2022, MSC now operates 75 per cent of its global capacity outside the 2M alliance - the highest proportion of the nine alliance carriers.

Among the remaining carriers, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd operate 61 per cent and 57 per cent of global capacity outside of their respective alliances.

Yang Ming, HMM and Evergreen provide many of their services through alliances, operating just 20 per cent, 22 per cent and 24 per cent of their fleets on an independent basis, reports Container News.