The landscape of the intra-Asia container market is shifting due to geopolitical events and restructured carrier alliances. In response, Danish shipping giant Maersk has significantly increased its presence in the region, boosting its intra-Asia service capacity by more than 50% within the last year.
Here’s a breakdown of this strategic move and what it means for the market:
- Capacity Expansion: Maersk has added 100,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) of capacity, growing its total volume from 195,714 TEU to 298,134 TEU.
- Market Position: This increase solidifies Maersk’s spot as the second-largest carrier on these trade routes, placing it just behind the market leader, Cosco Shipping, which operates 300,491 TEU.
- Gemini Cooperation Impact: A key driver behind this growth is the new Gemini Cooperation between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd. This partnership has led both carriers to operate more regional shuttle services to support their “hub and spoke” network model. Hapag-Lloyd has also nearly doubled its capacity in the region since August 2024.
Market Dynamics and Rate Fluctuations
While capacity has grown, freight rates on intra-Asia routes have not followed suit. Drewry Shipping Consultants noted that rates fell in the second half of August, reaching their lowest point since October of the previous year. The Drewry Intra-Asia Container Index dropped by 2% to $582 per 40-foot container, which is 35% lower than in August 2024.
Despite this, the intra-Asia market remains the world’s busiest, shipping more container volume than any other region. At least 69 carriers operate a combined 2.4 million TEU, an increase of 13% year-on-year. The top 20 carriers control 87% of this capacity.
Future Outlook and Sourcing Strategies
Looking ahead, market projections suggest a potential decline in US container imports. One Taiwan-based freight forwarder predicts a 19-21% year-on-year drop from September to December 2025, contributing to an estimated 5.6% overall decline for the year. This trend is causing businesses to re-evaluate their sourcing strategies and build more resilient and flexible supply chains to manage potential disruptions.
The complexity of the intra-Asia trade requires shippers to use reliable data to navigate its unique characteristics. As Xeneta’s chief analyst Peter Sand highlighted, the monthly average of 3.95 million TEU shipped within the Far East since early 2023 surpasses the combined volumes sent from the Far East to North America and Europe. This underscores the critical importance of having trusted partners and clear insights to succeed in this dynamic market.
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