2025 OCEAN CARRIER ALLIANCE RESTRUCTURING
The container shipping industry is entering a period of change as major carriers realign their service networks for 2025 and beyond. The new and restructured alliances will reshape global trade lanes, redistribute capacity, and adjust port coverage, impacting supply chain planning and operational strategies. As these networks implement new services, shippers should consider discussing with their freight forwarder how these changes will influence transit times, service reliability, and trade lane efficiency within their supply chains.
GEMINI COOPERATION: REALIGNING NETWORKS TO BOOST EFFICIENCY
The Gemini Cooperation, a partnership between Hapag-Lloyd (HPL) and Maersk (MSK), will introduce a realigned ocean network across seven major trade routes. The alliance is structured to offer 57 services, including mainline and dedicated shuttle routes, supplemented by feeder services.
With a fleet of approximately 340 vessels and a total capacity of ~3.7 million TEUs, the alliance is expected to adjust service offerings to improve schedule reliability and network flexibility. The introduction of 20% additional capacity in early 2025 may lead to initial service adjustments as vessel assignments shift across trade lanes.
PREMIER ALLIANCE: EXPANDING TRADE LANE COVERAGE
The newly established Premier Alliance, composed of Ocean Network Express (ONE), HMM, and Yang Ming, will begin operations in February 2025 under a five-year cooperation agreement. The alliance is structured to provide broad coverage across major East-West trade lanes, including:
- Asia – North America West Coast
- Asia – North America East Coast
- Asia – Mediterranean
- Asia – North Europe
- Asia – Middle East
With an 8% total BSA growth, the Premier Alliance will increase capacity on select routes while maintaining continuity in key services. The alliance aims to balance expanded coverage with stable service offerings, though network shifts may introduce adjustments to port rotations and transit schedules in the early phases.
OCEAN ALLIANCE: UPDATING SERVICE STRUCTURES
The OCEAN Alliance, Evergreen, COSCO Shipping, CMA CGM, and OOCL, have formalized its Day 9 Product Agreement, which will take effect in April 2025. This update reflects adjustments to service rotations and vessel deployments, maintaining broad market coverage across global trade lanes.
The Day 9 Product will deploy 390 vessels with a total nominal capacity of nearly 5 million TEUs, offering 41 weekly service loops and connectivity across 520+ direct port pairs. The updated network will include:
- 7 Far East – North Europe routes
- 4 Far East – Mediterranean routes
- 22 Transpacific services (14 West Coast, 8 East Coast/U.S. Gulf)
- 3 Transatlantic services
- 3 Middle East services
- 2 Red Sea services
While overall capacity levels within the OCEAN Alliance are expected to remain stable, service adjustments may shift routing patterns and vessel assignments as the updated network is phased in.
RESULTING INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Total fleet capacities and market shares among major global carriers are expected to be distributed as follows:
- OCEAN Alliance – 5.0 million TEUs – 29% market share
- Gemini Cooperation – 3.7 million TEUs – 21% market share
- Premier Alliance – 3.4 million TEUs – 20% market share
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