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Maersk confirms an order for 26 large container vessels of 18,600 twenty-foot equivalent units each as part of its ongoing fleet renewal program
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New ships will run on dual-fuel engines capable of operating on liquefied natural gas, with deliveries scheduled for 2029 and 2030
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Order adds 483,600 TEU of capacity and marks Maersk’s most aggressive newbuilding push in years, following a self-imposed capacity cap since 2018
Danish shipping giant Maersk has confirmed an order for 26 large container vessels as part of its ongoing fleet renewal program, ending days of market speculation over a major expansion of its fleet.
“We can confirm that Maersk has ordered 26 large container vessels as part of our ongoing fleet renewal program,” a Maersk spokesperson said in a statement issued to news outlets.
According to the statement, each of the 26 vessels will have a capacity of 18,600 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and will be equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of running on liquefied natural gas. Deliveries are scheduled across 2029 and 2030. Maersk has not disclosed which shipyards will build the vessels or the value of the contracts.
- The confirmation follows reports earlier in the week that Maersk was lining up a much larger newbuilding program, potentially involving around 40 LNG dual-fuel mainline vessels — including ships of at least 24,000 TEU and a separate tranche in the 18,000-to-20,000-TEU range. Brokers had also linked Maersk to options for six additional 18,600-TEU vessels at New Times Shipbuilding, the same yard where the carrier ordered eight similarly sized LNG dual-fuel ships in February, also for delivery in 2029 and 2030. The configuration confirmed by Maersk differs from what market intermediaries had initially indicated.
The order marks a shift for Maersk, which has kept its fleet growth comparatively restrained over the past several years even as rivals expanded aggressively. According to market intelligence provider Linerlytica, Maersk’s annualized fleet growth since 2018 has been limited to about 2%, compared with 11.7% growth logged by key competitors including MSC, CMA CGM, and COSCO, as the carrier operated under a self-imposed capacity cap. Maersk indicated during its second-quarter earnings call that it had “reached the limit of what its current fleet can do.”
Alphaliner data puts Maersk’s currently operated fleet at roughly 4.73 million TEU, with 1.21 million TEU already on order before this latest confirmation. The newly confirmed 26 ships alone add another 483,600 TEU of capacity to that order book.
The announcement comes as Maersk has raised its full-year earnings forecast, citing robust demand from Asia and strong second-quarter profit growth despite ongoing disruptions tied to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
READ: Maersk hikes earnings guidance for 2026 with high demand, rates
