Carrier alliances are agreements under which major container lines share vessels and networks on east-west trades while remaining commercial competitors. Since early 2025 the landscape comprises the Gemini Cooperation (Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd), the Ocean Alliance (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, OOCL), and the Premier Alliance (ONE, HMM, Yang Ming), with MSC running its own network.
Alliances exist because a competitive weekly network across dozens of port pairs needs more ships than most single carriers deploy. Members pool vessels through vessel-sharing agreements, buy slots on each other’s services, and coordinate schedules, while pricing and customer relationships stay separate under regulatory oversight.
The 2025 reshuffle changed operating philosophies as well as membership: Gemini runs a hub-and-spoke design aimed at higher schedule reliability, while others emphasise direct port coverage. Alliance membership determines whose ship carries your booking, which terminals it uses, and how disruptions propagate.
Alliances are why your carrier’s container rides another line’s vessel: booked with one member, loaded on a partner’s ship, with each partner numbering the sailing differently. TrackingMCP resolves the physical vessel behind the booking in tracking, so events line up whether you booked via Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, or ONE.
Carrier alliances are agreements under which major container lines share vessels and networks on east-west trades while remaining commercial competitors. Since early 2025 the landscape comprises the Gemini Cooperation (Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd), the Ocean Alliance (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, OOCL), and the Premier Alliance (ONE, HMM, Yang Ming), with MSC running its own network.
No. Alliances are operational vessel-sharing arrangements; members sell and price independently and remain competitors. Competition authorities monitor the boundary.
Your carrier bought or shares slots on a partner vessel for that leg. The bill of lading and responsibility stay with the carrier you booked; only the steel differs.
Track across alliance partners →
Carrier coverage health →
More in Vessels, voyages & schedules: Blank sailing · Port omission · Transshipment · Feeder vessel · Voyage number · ETA, ETD, ATA & ATD · Vessel schedule reliability · Slow steaming · AIS (Automatic Identification System) · Draft (draught) · Vessel sharing agreement (VSA) · Browse all 106 terms →