South Korea’s flagship container line HMM became the eighth carrier worldwide to reach a capacity of more than one million TEU. According to Alphaliner, HMM’s total capacity stands at 1,007,180 TEU, marking a twofold increase over the past five years.
The company’s fleet is still expanding. South Korean shipyards HD Hyundai Samho and HHIC will deliver five new vessels ranging from 8,500 to 9,000 TEU in 2026. Twelve additional 13,000 TEU ships from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean are expected to join HMM’s fleet in 2028 and 2029, further boosting the company’s position in global rankings.
HMM’s long-term growth strategy continues through 2030. Last September, the carrier announced a ₩23.5 trillion ($17.5 billion) investment plan to nearly double its container capacity and triple its tanker and dry bulk fleets by the end of the decade.
Meanwhile, other shipping giants are also reaching major capacity milestones. Taiwan’s Evergreen is approaching the 2 million TEU mark, Japan’s ONE has already surpassed it, and MSC is on track to cross 7 million TEU soon.
