Beginning-of-year figures; the values for 1980 through 2020 have been extracted from previous editions. The figures have been rounded. The unit dwt (deadweight tonnage) is the carrying capacity of a merchant ship.
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Capacity of container ships in seaborne trade 1980-2024
In 2024 the world merchant container ship fleet had a capacity of around ****million metric tons deadweight. As of January 2023, there were Ìýcontainer ships in the world's merchant fleet.
Container shipping and global trade
As global supply networks consolidate, global value chains increase the need for seaborne transportation of goods. Container shipping is the most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly option to transport goods overseas, despite its considerable environmental footprint. The demand for more seaborne trade calls for larger vessels: the carrying capacity of the global merchant fleet has been increasing steadily during recent decades, reaching just over *** billion deadweight tons in 2025. In 2024, theÌýseaborne trade transport volume was roughly **** billion metric tons, up from **** billion metric tons in 2023. Moreover, the global container shipping volume reached some *** million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2021, and is expected to grow to around *** million TEUs in 2027.
Leading firms
Container shipping a highly capital-intensive economic sector with high potential returns acquired from expanding global demand for the trade of goods. Container lines are constantly under pressure to offer low rates to their customers and maximize vessels' utilization rates. To overcome these challenges, the market has consolidated around three alliances: 2M, Ocean Alliance, and THE Alliance, which together account for ** percent of the global container market. APM-Maersk, COSCO Shipping, Mediterranean Shipping Company and Hapag-Lloyd are some of the leading container shipping firms globally. Both in terms of the number of ships and TEU capacity, the Mediterranean Shipping Company is the leading container shipping company globally.Ìý
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UNCTAD. (January 21, 2026). Capacity of container ships in seaborne trade from 1980 to 2024 (in million dwt) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from /statistics/267603/capacity-of-container-ships-in-the-global-seaborne-trade/
UNCTAD. "Capacity of container ships in seaborne trade from 1980 to 2024 (in million dwt)." Chart. January 21, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 21, 2026. /statistics/267603/capacity-of-container-ships-in-the-global-seaborne-trade/
UNCTAD. (2026). Capacity of container ships in seaborne trade from 1980 to 2024 (in million dwt). ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 21, 2026. /statistics/267603/capacity-of-container-ships-in-the-global-seaborne-trade/
UNCTAD. "Capacity of Container Ships in Seaborne Trade from 1980 to 2024 (in Million Dwt)." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 21 Jan 2026, /statistics/267603/capacity-of-container-ships-in-the-global-seaborne-trade/
UNCTAD, Capacity of container ships in seaborne trade from 1980 to 2024 (in million dwt) ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/267603/capacity-of-container-ships-in-the-global-seaborne-trade/ (last visited July 21, 2026)
Capacity of container ships in seaborne trade from 1980 to 2024 (in million dwt) [Graph], UNCTAD, January 21, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/267603/capacity-of-container-ships-in-the-global-seaborne-trade/
