International Maritime
With the dissolution of the 2M Alliance , many industry observers assumed MSC would operate entirely independently in the eastwest trade . This was based on its clear desire to control its own destiny and nimbly build products that respond to client needs . Pundits underestimated MSC ’ s history of balancing its longer-term objectives with the realities and opportunities of the immediate market .
We don ’ t know the number of slots exchanged in MSC ’ s deal with Premier , but with the number of loops MSC will be operating to North Europe and the Mediterranean and the capacity it has deployed , it ’ s reasonable to assume that it is selling more slots than it is buying , which probably suits the carrier well at this point in its evolution . Conversely , the ZIM Integrated Shipping Services slot swap has helped reduce the capacity injection that MSC needed to make after the 2M breakup , considering that Maersk had been a much larger contributor of tonnage to the US East Coast than MSC .
MSC , on a journey to establish a competitive independent network , has forged mutually beneficial deals with Premier and ZIM .
Further , because the deal with ZIM has reduced the overall injection of capacity , lowering overall oversupply in the east-west trade , it will help rates stay up longer , which MSC also benefits from . It ’ s unlikely that these slot exchanges — once all 25 services are bedded in — will stem the capacity influx tide sufficiently to defy rate gravity , short of labor troubles becoming long term or other black swan events over and above the Suez problem .
The other benefit of the slot agreements MSC has made , particularly for the US East and Gulf coasts , is that it has enhanced the quality of its network and given it more of a competitive edge .
The charts don ’ t give the full picture , and every shipper will look at their particular mix of port pairs and what combination of service frequency , transit time and reliability they want . The Gemini carriers would point out that this dry set of numbers does nothing to factor in the reliability they will be targeting . They would be correct , but the charts do highlight the fact that shippers will often have to choose between frequency and more direct port pairs on one side and dependable departures and arrivals on the other . What the charts also confirm is that , in the trades where it has made slot deals , MSC has a competitive overall product that slot arrangements have enhanced .
MSC , which has embarked on a major journey to establish a competitive , independent post-2M network , has forged mutually beneficial deals with Premier and ZIM .
If MSC carries on accumulating tonnage at the current rate , it ’ s an open question whether the deals with Premier and ZIM will look as attractive for them in the future as they do now . Premier — or its individual carriers — and ZIM may also have other options when the time comes .
email : jeremy @ shippingmastershk . com
MSC to operate more ex-Asia loops than any single alliance
Number of outbound services from Asia operated by MSC , Premier Alliance , Gemini Cooperation and Ocean Alliance under new networks
9 8
7
6 L 5
4
L
3
2
Direct port-to-port coverage varies by alliance network
Number of services between key port pairs operated by MSC , Premier Alliance , Gemini Cooperation op and Ocean Alliance under new networks
6
5
4
0.53
2
1
0
MSC Premier L Gemini Ocean
MSC Premier L Gemini Ocean
Shanghai to Rotterdam Ningbo to Antwerp Shanghai to New York Ningbo to Houston
Shanghai to Barcelona Singapore to Rotterdam Tanjung Pelepas to Rotterdam Notes : Gemini : Ningbo to Antwerp by shuttle
Source : Shipping Masters Hong Kong
North Europe Mediterranean USEC plus Gulf
Notes : Gemini USEC plus Gulf excludes joint Hapag-Lloyd and Wan Hai AA7 service
Source : Shipping Masters Hong Kong
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© 2025 S & P Global
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