An advertisement in the latest physical issue of the Journal of Commerce, the leading global logistics magazine that is part of the IHS Markit group of publications, caught my eye. It’s an ad for China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), the world’s 3rd largest shipper, according to Marine Insight magazine. It’s an effective ad because it simply lays out the facts, and the facts show that COSCO is a behemoth. Here are some of the vitals:
- 3.6 million TEUs (though Marine Insight magazine publishes a lower figure; whatever the number, it’s massive. See the hyperlink if you don’t know what a TEU is)
- 361 Container vessels
- 356 International and Domestic Routes
- 227 International and Feeder Services
- 43 Domestic Services
- 86 Yangtze River and Pearl River Services
- Calling at 267 Ports in 85 Countries
And…Here’s a Top Ten List of the World’s Biggest Container Shipping Companies
- APM-Maersk (Denmark-based)
- MSC – Mediterranean Shipping Company (Switzerland-based)
- COSCO – China Ocean Shipping Company (China-based)
- CMA-CGM (France-based)
- Hapag-Lloyd (Germany-based)
- One – Ocean Network Express (Singapore-based, set up in Japan)
- Evergreen Line (China-based)
- Yang Ming Marine Transport (Taiwan-based)
- Hyundai Merchant Marine (South Korea-based)
- PIL – Pacific International Line (Singapore-based)
