Maersk Regains Title of Most Reliable Container Shipping Company
In a recent development, Maersk has once again appeared as the world’s most reliable container shipping company, surpassing its competitors, according to the latest Global Liner Performance (GLP) report released by Sea-Intelligence. The report, which includes liner reliability data as of October 2023, indicates that Maersk achieved an impressive schedule reliability of 71.1% during the specified month, outperforming Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and reclaiming the top position.
Maersk, ranked as the world’s second-largest liner company, had temporarily yielded the top spot to MSC in September, but it swiftly rebounded in October, showcasing its commitment to operational excellence. The GLP report evaluates the on-time performance of 14 of the world’s largest container shipping lines, making it a significant benchmark for industry competitiveness.
Industry-wide Trends Show Prominent Improvements in On-time Performance
Beyond the individual company rankings, the GLP report sheds light on broader industry trends. While the overall on-time rate for shipping companies in October remained at 64.4%, consistent with the same period in 2022, the year-on-year comparison for the entire 2023 reveals a substantial increase of 12.6 percentage points. This indicates a creditable improvement in the efficiency and reliability of global container shipping operations.
Examining the data from March 2023 onward, the report shows a generally stable performance trend, with minor fluctuations within a 2-percentage point range, except for a significant increase in May. Despite a slight month-on-month decrease, the average delay time for late arrivals saw a modest uptick of 0.33 days, reaching 4.90 days.
Furthermore, the GLP report highlights the dynamic nature of the container shipping industry, with six shipping companies achieving month-on-month growth in October 2023. Notably, South Korea’s HMM led the way with a substantial increase of 7.7 percentage points. Additionally, 11 out of the top 13 operators demonstrated double-digit year-on-year growth, with Wanhai experiencing the most significant surge at 22.8 percentage points.
In conclusion, the GLP report emphasizes the ongoing efforts within the container shipping sector to enhance operational efficiency and meet the growing demands of global trade. Maersk’s revival to the top of the reliability rankings reaffirms its commitment to providing timely and dependable shipping services in a competitive market landscape.