Maersk has confirmed an order for 26 large container ships as part of its ongoing fleet renewal program. The order's total capacity equates to approximately 10% of Maersk's current total operating capacity. The company has not yet made a public announcement on the matter, and relevant details remain to be disclosed. A Maersk spokesperson said: "We can confirm that Maersk has ordered 26 large container ships as part of our ongoing fleet renewal program."

Maersk confirmed that the new ships will have a capacity of 18,600 TEU and will be equipped with dual-fuel engines capable of using liquefied gas fuels, with delivery expected in 2029 and 2030. These vessels will become among the largest ship types in Maersk's fleet. To date, Maersk has not aggressively ordered 24,000 TEU-class ultra-large container ships as other companies in the industry have done. Its existing largest vessels are the Triple E class introduced between 2013 and 2019, with two batches having capacities of 18,270 TEU to 20,568 TEU respectively.

This order marks a significant shift in Maersk's fleet strategy. Over the past several years, Maersk has consistently kept its container fleet size within a range of approximately 4 million to 4.4 million TEU, with newbuildings mainly used to replace older tonnage rather than for net capacity growth. In the fleet renewal plan announced in 2024, Maersk explicitly stated that its goal is to "maintain fleet size at approximately 4.3 million TEU."

Changes in the market environment constitute the direct pressure behind Maersk's strategic adjustment. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)'s total capacity has approached 7.5 million TEU, firmly holding the global No. 1 position. CMA CGM, with a capacity scale of 4.39 million TEU, is rapidly closing in on Maersk's 4.73 million TEU, and its orderbook stands at 1.8 million TEU, far exceeding Maersk's 120,000 TEU. CMA CGM Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saade has publicly stated that the company plans to surpass Maersk by the end of 2027 to become the world's second-largest container shipping company. Under this competitive landscape, expanding the fleet is seen by Maersk as a necessary means of safeguarding its market position. Vincent Clerc stated that expanding the fleet will help the company achieve growth and enhance flexibility.

Maersk's order comes at a time when the global container ship orderbook is at an unprecedented high. According to Alphaliner data, as of the end of June 2026, the global container ship orderbook totaled 1,592 vessels, or approximately 12.98 million TEU, equivalent to 38.3% of the current operating fleet capacity. By mid-August 2026, this figure had further climbed to 1,724 vessels, or approximately 13.97 million TEU.