Shipping Lines Announce New Alliances & Agreements for 2025

Global shipping companies unveiled their schedules for the major east-west trade routes starting February next year as existing agreements end and new partnerships come into play.

One of the most notable revelations is that Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), the largest container line worldwide, will not operate entirely on its own as previously anticipated. 

In preparation for the conclusion of its 2M partnership with Maersk, MSC, led by Soren Toft, has embarked on a historic fleet expansion. The company surpassed 5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) in capacity last year, reached 6 million TEU in July, and is on track to achieve 7 million TEU slots by early 2026.

MSC’s growth strategy originally aimed for a global liner network without partners. However, as the world’s top shipping companies revealed their 2025 networks last week, it became clear that MSC is collaborating with several industry peers on key trade routes.

The company has signed a three-year agreement with Israeli carrier ZIM, which is understood to be a slot-sharing arrangement on routes between Asia and the U.S. East Coast, according to analysts from the Danish consultancy, Sea-Intelligence. Additionally, the new Premier Alliance, consisting of Asian carriers Ocean Network Express (ONE), HMM, and Yang Ming, will lease slots from MSC on services between Asia and Europe.

Sea-Intelligence’s analysis indicates that MSC’s standalone services across its global deep-sea network will increase from 48% to 61% by February next year. Meanwhile, vessel-sharing agreements will remain stable at 13%, and slot-sharing agreements are expected to rise from 10% to 26%.

"This demonstrates that while MSC is expanding its standalone network for 2025, it will also more than double its participation in slot-sharing agreements," Sea-Intelligence reported in its latest analysis.

In other developments set for February 1, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk will launch their new partnership called Gemini Cooperation. Additionally, the existing Ocean Alliance, consisting of CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, and OOCL, has extended its vessel-sharing agreement until March 2032.