What COSCO SHIPPING does

COSCO SHIPPING is a Chinese state-owned maritime transportation and port operations conglomerate formed in 2016 through the merger of COSCO Group and China Shipping Group. It is dual-listed on the Shanghai (600428) and Hong Kong (CICOY) stock exchanges and is headquartered in Beijing with operations spanning container shipping, port terminals, and specialized transport. The group operates 394 vessels with approximately 5.2-5.3 million TEU of deployed capacity, giving it a 10.8% share of the global container shipping market and the #4 position worldwide.

Core operations revolve around the OCEAN Alliance with CMA CGM, Evergreen, and OOCL (extended to 2032), running 41 weekly service loops across the major east-west trade lanes. The group also controls a global terminal portfolio of more than 100 ports, anchored by the recently completed $1.3 billion Chancay Port in Peru, and pursues adjacent verticals in heavy-lift transport, breakbulk, and automotive logistics through joint ventures with FOTON and Dongfeng. Notable technical and sustainability investments include the world's first green ammonia bunkering operation, wind-assisted vessel propulsion, and partnerships with Lumos Robotics and Black Sesame Technologies to integrate port automation and autonomous-driving capability into the network. Revenue mechanics are driven by container freight rates (volatile, B2B contract plus spot mix), terminal handling fees, and specialized project cargo contracts, with the asset base reflecting a capital-intensive, vertically integrated shipping model.

Name

COSCO SHIPPING

Legal name

COSCO SHIPPING Specialized Transport Co., Ltd. (中远海运特种运输股份有限公司)

Website

https://spe.coscoshipping.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

COSCO SHIPPING is a Chinese state-owned global container shipping and port terminal operator, the world's 4th largest liner with 10.8% market share, 394 vessels, 5.2M TEU capacity, and 100+ port terminals, serving global B2B shippers through the OCEAN Alliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Shipping and Logistics Services

NAICS

Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Marine Cargo Handling (488320), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Mainline Container Liner Carriers (TLADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project & OOG/Breakbulk Ocean Forwarding (Out-of-Gauge, RoRo) (TLACABAH), Deep-Sea Container Terminals (Mainline / Transshipment Hubs) (TLAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Container shipping services
• Maritime logistics
• Port terminal operations
• Bulk cargo transport
• Specialized heavy transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Guangzhou

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Container Shipping Services: COSCO SHIPPING generates revenue through container shipping services across global trade routes, charging freight rates for containerized cargo transport. The company operates in the OCEAN Alliance with CMA CGM, Evergreen, and OOCL, commanding 10.8% global container market share with approximately 5.2-5.3 million TEU deployed capacity.
2. Port Operations and Management: Revenue from operating port terminals globally, including majority ownership of the Chancay megaport in Peru ($1.3 billion investment), stakes in European ports including Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges, Hamburg, and Piraeus Port, and terminal operations at Laem Chabang in Thailand.
3. Automotive and Specialized Logistics: Specialized logistics services for automotive manufacturers including the joint venture Guangzhou Yuanfu Automotive Supply Chain Co., Ltd. with FOTON Motor for complete vehicle and KD parts shipping, and strategic agreement with Dongfeng Motor Group for overseas logistics and autonomous port trucks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

COSCO SHIPPING operates one of the world's largest integrated maritime transportation and logistics networks, providing containerized cargo shipping across major global trade lanes, specialized heavy-lift and project cargo transport (semi-submersible vessels, heavy deck carriers), bulk carrier services, and port terminal operations. The company delivers end-to-end supply chain solutions through its OCEAN Alliance partnership (with CMA CGM, Evergreen Line, and OOCL), 5.2-5.3 million TEU of deployed capacity, and ownership stakes in 100+ ports globally.

Product overview

COSCO SHIPPING operates as a diversified shipping and logistics conglomerate offering multiple service lines including container shipping, specialized heavy transport, port terminal operations, and bulk carrier services. The product portfolio centers on COSCO Shipping Specialized Transport Co., Ltd. for heavy-lift and project cargo, container liner services for global trade routes, and port infrastructure operations across Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SINOBUNKER: Subsidiary focused on bunkering and fuel services, completed world's first green ammonia bunkering operation
• COSCO SHIPPING Special Transport
• Hi ECO

Products and services

• Container Shipping Services Global containerized cargo transport services offered via the OCEAN Alliance (with CMA CGM, Evergreen Line, and OOCL), serving manufacturing companies, retailers, and trading firms moving consumer goods, electronics, automotive parts, and general merchandise across major trade routes.
• COSCO Shipping Specialized Transport Co., Ltd. (Heavy Lift and Project Cargo) Leading Chinese provider of heavy transport vessel (HTV) services including semi-submersible vessels, heavy deck carriers, and heavy lift vessels for industrial and energy sector cargo, including overlength, oversized, and overweight cargoes.
• Port Terminal Operations Global port terminal ownership, management, and operations including transshipment hub services and direct gateway services, operated by subsidiary COSCO Shipping Ports.
• Dry Bulk Shipping Services Dry bulk shipping services for commodities clients, operated through subsidiary COSCO Shipping Bulk, including Kamsarmax and Newcastlemax carriers with green retrofitting features.
• Guangzhou Yuanfu Automotive Supply Chain Co., Ltd. (Automotive Logistics JV) Dedicated automotive shipping capacity and customized maritime logistics for complete vehicles (CKC) and knocked-down (KD) parts, offered through a joint venture with FOTON Motor.
• Green Ammonia Bunkering Services

Quantifiable outcome

• COSCO Shipping holds 10.8% global container shipping market share, ranking fourth globally.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, strategic and core.

• Dongfeng Motor GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Dongfeng Motor Group signed a strategic agreement with COSCO SHIPPING for overseas logistics and autonomous port trucks, part of Dongfeng's broader plan to achieve 1 million annual overseas sales by 2028. The partnership provides COSCO with automotive logistics cargo volume.
• Lumos RoboticsstrategicTechnology or Integration · 12 May 2026Lumos Robotics has a strategic partnership with COSCO SHIPPING, with the robotics company already counting COSCO among its shareholders and having co-developed embodied intelligence solutions for industrial settings including port automation applications.
• FOTON MotorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026COSCO SHIPPING and FOTON Motor launched a joint venture, Guangzhou Yuanfu Automotive Supply Chain Co., Ltd., establishing FOTON MOTOR's independent global ocean shipping supply chain system. The first export order of 600 FOTON pickup trucks immediately set sail for South America. The partnership secures core shipping capacity and provides customized maritime logistics for complete vehicles and KD parts.
• Anemoi Marine TechnologiesmajorTechnology or Integration · 11 February 2026Anemoi Marine Technologies and COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry Ltd renewed and expanded their partnership to provide wind propulsion installation services at Chinese shipyards. The collaboration builds on their initial agreement in 2022, during which nine Rotor Sails were installed on vessels for clients including Vale and U-Ming.
• OCEAN Alliance (CMA CGM, Evergreen Line, OOCL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2026COSCO SHIPPING participates in the OCEAN Alliance with CMA CGM, Evergreen Line, and OOCL, creating the world's largest operational liner shipping network with 41 weekly service loops, nearly 394 vessels, and 5.2-5.3 million TEUs of deployed capacity. The alliance connects Asia with Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Middle East, and North America, with the agreement extended until at least 2032.
• Black Sesame TechnologiesstrategicTechnology or Integration · 15 January 2026Black Sesame Technologies signed a cooperation agreement with COSCO Shipping (Qingdao) Smart Transportation Equipment Co., Ltd. to jointly develop maritime embodied-intelligence inspection robots for ocean-going vessels. Black Sesame provides edge-side intelligent computing platforms while COSCO contributes real operational logic and engineering frameworks from maritime settings.
• CSSC (China State Shipbuilding Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026CSSC and COSCO Shipping announced a joint shipbuilding project worth approximately US$7.17 billion for the construction of 87 vessels across various types including container ships, bulk carriers, and specialized vessels. The project features innovative designs such as LNG dual-fuel engines and large bulk carriers targeting strategic and environmental goals.
• SINOBUNKERstrategicTechnology or Integration · 5 August 2025COSCO SHIPPING subsidiary SINOBUNKER completed the world's first green ammonia bunkering operation using renewable-produced green ammonia at Dalian terminal, recognized for full life-cycle carbon management and international sustainability certifications.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ZIM Integrated Shipping Services: ZIM is an Israeli container carrier operating a global liner network with a focus on niche and select trade lanes. It is an emerging global peer to COSCO with comparable container shipping services though smaller scale.
• Yang Ming Marine Transport: Yang Ming is a Taiwanese container carrier and THE Alliance member. It directly competes with COSCO on Asia-Europe, transpacific, and intra-Asia routes, though with smaller fleet capacity than COSCO's OCEAN Alliance network.
• MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company): MSC is the world's largest container shipping line with ~19.9% global market share. It competes directly with COSCO on the same Asia-Europe, transpacific, and intra-Asia trade lanes, operating its own vessel network outside the OCEAN Alliance.
• CMA CGM: CMA CGM is the third-largest container carrier at ~12.7% global share and a direct OCEAN Alliance partner with COSCO. The two operate a 41-loop combined network and overlap heavily on Asia-Europe and transpacific services.
• HMM Co., Ltd. HMM is South Korea's flagship container carrier and a THE Alliance member. It competes with COSCO on the same transpacific and Asia-Europe trade lanes with a comparable mix of neo-Panamax and ULCS vessels.
• Evergreen Marine Corporation: Evergreen is a Taiwanese container carrier and a direct OCEAN Alliance partner with COSCO. It operates comparable vessel sizes on Asia-Europe and transpacific routes and shares vessel-sharing economics within the alliance.
• Hapag-Lloyd: Hapag-Lloyd is the fifth-largest container carrier and operates THE Alliance (with ONE, HMM, Yang Ming). It competes directly with COSCO on Asia-Europe, transpacific, and Middle East lanes with comparable vessel sizes and service portfolios.
• Ocean Network Express (ONE): ONE is a Japanese container carrier formed by NYK, MOL, and K Line, and a member of THE Alliance. It directly competes with COSCO across Asia-Europe, transpacific, and intra-Asia trade lanes.
• Maersk: Maersk is the second-largest container carrier globally with ~14.6% market share and competes with COSCO on every major east-west trade lane. It pursues an integrator strategy combining ocean, terminal, and logistics services, paralleling COSCO's vertical integration approach.

Emerging players

• Wan Hai Lines: Wan Hai Lines is a Taiwanese container carrier traditionally focused on intra-Asia trades but expanding into Asia-Europe and transpacific. It increasingly competes with COSCO on select Asia-origin trade lanes as it scales capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/COSCOSHIPPING

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about COSCO SHIPPING