Maersk has surpassed COSCO to become the largest container carrier in the intra-Asia trade, the world’s highest-volume container shipping lane, according to the latest fleet survey by Alphaliner. Backed by its Gemini Cooperation hub-and-spoke operational strategy, which utilizes extensive Asian feeder shuttle services to connect major east-west ocean loops, Maersk expanded its regional deployed capacity to over 340,000 TEU across 108 vessels, averaging 3,176 TEU per ship. Although COSCO operates a larger overall fleet of 120 vessels in the region, its flat year-on-year capacity growth dropped it to second place. Total international intra-Asia capacity expanded 6.2% year-on-year to roughly 2.6 million TEU across more than 80 competing lines, with mainline operators controlling 63% of capacity due to larger average vessel deployments. Meanwhile, CMA CGM climbed to third place ahead of Evergreen by adding 15,000 TEU, while SITC retained its lead among niche regional specialists with 109 smaller vessels serving regional ports. This reshuffling occurs as the Drewry Intra-Asia Container Index reaches $1,323 per FEU, hovering near record high levels driven by ongoing geopolitical and typhoon-related operational delays.