- NYK: An acronym for the Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, the NYK is one of the biggest cargo companies operating internationally
The company has been
in operation since the 1870s, operating a passenger fleet-line before
undergoing a transition into a core container shipping company towards the
mid-20th century.
2. Evergreen
Marine Corporation: A shipping conglomerate based in China, the Evergreen Marine
Corporation was founded in 1968 by Dr. Yung-Fa Chang, a visionary in his own
right.
At present, the company
has offices established all over the world and with a operational capacity of
more than 160 container ships is regarded to be one the largest cargo shipping
companies in the world.
3. CMA-CGM: France’s leading container shipping company,
CMA-CGM came into existence in the year 1978, as a result of series of mergers
between previously established shipping corporations. Jacques Saade who is the
head of the company was the instrumental force behind its coming into active
operation.
At present, the company has a fleet of over 350 ships operating in over
150 routes globally.
4. Maersk: A shipping corporation based in Denmark,
Maersk Shipping Line is a branch of the AP Moller- Maersk company. Widely
well-known for its fleet of container ships, the Maersk Line made its debut in
the international container shipping arena in the year 1904.
At present, the
company has a fleet of around 500 container ships with a capacity of around 19,
00,000 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units).
5. MSC: The Mediterranean Shipping Company,
abbreviated to MSC is a Swiss international cargo company which was established
in the year 1970.
At present, with a
vessel line-up of over 456 container ships, the conglomerate is rated to be one
of the most extensive cargo companies in the world.
6. Hapag-Lloyd: The German based Hapag-Lloyd is one of the
most renowned and well-featured companies in terms of international shipping
companies. The company was established in the year 1970 as a result of a merger
between the Hamburg-American Line and the North German company Lloyd.
Today the shipping
corporation has over 130 ships catering to about five million containers on a
worldwide scale.
7. APL: An auxiliary company to the Singaporean Orient
Shipping Lines, APL is an abbreviation for American President Lines. Founded in
the year 1848, the shipping conglomerate just celebrated its 160th anniversary
in the year 2008.
One of the most
noteworthy achievements of the company is that it was the first company to
successfully utilise extra-large (53 feet) containers on its vessels,
accounting for shorter cargo transportation.
In the year 2003,
Hanjin and COSCO formed a strategic alliance. The alliance has benefited both
shipping conglomerates and powered them to an unequivocal position as Asia’s
leading cargo shipping companies.
10. CSCL: CSCL is the abbreviation for the China
Shipping Container Lines, a company based in Shanghai. Started in the year
1997, the company soon rose amongst its ranks and today has propelled not just
itself but also the country to leading heights in the container shipping
industry. The company finds its name in both the Hong Kong and Shanghai Stock
Exchanges.
Container shipping is
a huge industry and these key players are aware of the minutest operational maneuverings
necessary to power them to being the world leaders in the commercial
enterprise, not just in their home countries but also at an international level.