How Ocean Alliances Function: An Inside Look

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By pooling their fleets, each carrier gains access to their vessels and the ships operated by other carriers in the alliance. This setup lets them move containers across different routes using any ship within the group, enhancing service reach and flexibility.

The foundation of these alliances lies in vessel-sharing, which helps carriers extend their geographic coverage and service options. This collaboration benefits the carriers by offering them more routes and better services without investing in new ships.

Despite this, recent changes in the market have led some carriers to launch new services outside of traditional alliance agreements. The sharp rise in demand since 2020 has given carriers enough flexibility to fill vessels without relying on alliance partners.

While this shift might suggest a long-term change, it mostly responds to iran phone number list temporary market conditions. The long-established services and vessel-sharing agreements within alliances remain steady and dominate most global trade.


By the early 2000s, Maersk’s investment in larger vessels gave it a strong market edge due to lower operating costs per container. Other carriers soon followed suit, leading to an oversupply of container ships and a drop in container rates. With so many ships available, why would carriers still need shipping by ocean alliances?

The answer lies in the logistical challenge of maintaining frequent sailings across various routes. For instance, a route between Busan and Rotterdam takes about 11 weeks for a vessel to complete a round trip. Instead of each carrier deploying multiple ships for this single route, they collaborate within an alliance to share vessels. This approach allows them to provide regular service without each carrier needing to own an entire fleet of ships.