HMM, a South Korean shipping line, has become the eighth member of the “Million TEU Club”. According to Aliner’s analysis, HMM’s fleet capacity now stands at 1,007,180 TEU. HMM, a South Korean shipping line, more than doubled its operational capacity over the last five years, while the 2020s have also been the most profitable decade in the history of container shipping so far,phaliner noted in its latest weekly report.

With a batch of new vessels from a range of South Korean yards set for delivery, HMM’s growth momentum poised to continue. The company plans to take delivery of five 8,500 to 9,000 TEU-class vessels next year, while a further12 newbuildings of 13,000 TEU-class vessels are expected to be delivered in the latter part of this decade.

Last September HMM unveiled its development plan until the end of the decade, setting aside up to KRW 23.5 trillion. Under the plan, the South Korean line’s fleet size will nearly double, while its tanker and dry bulk fleets will increase to three times the original size by 2030.

The companies sit ahead of HMM (8th) in Alphaliner’s rankings have also achieved notable milestones. At number seven, Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine is on the brink breaking the 2 million TEU barrier, a milestone recently passed by ONE. Meanwhile, at the top of the pile, Mediterranean Shipping, led by Soren Toft, is on the cusp of a new record, with its capacity expected to tip the 7 million TEU mark in the coming months.