Hapag-Lloyd has reached a significant milestone by delivering its 300th vessel, making it the largest fleet in the Company's history since its founding in 1847. This achievement solidifies its position as the fifth-largest container shipping company.

The newly chartered vessel, Nordatlantic, has a capacity of 24,480 deadweight tons (dwt). It is not the largest in the fleet. Still, it is joined by two sister ships, Nordbaltic and Nordpuma, which Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Co. is building. These ships will enhance Hapag-Lloyd's intra-Asia feeder services and support fleet upgrades. Hapag-Lloyd noted that its capacity grew by 18.7 per cent in 2024, reaching 2.3 million TEU. The current fleet includes 129 owned vessels and 171 on charter, amounting to a total capacity of 2.34 million TEU. The Company also has 37 vessels on order with a capacity of 468,000 TEU. This year marks another milestone for Hapag-Lloyd as it prepares to launch a new partnership with Maersk, Gemini, in February 2025, signalling continued growth and fleet expansion.

In other news, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd do not foresee an immediate return to the Red Sea following the announcement of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel on January 17. 

Both companies stated they would closely monitor the situation in the Middle East and would only return to the Red Sea when it is deemed safe. Hapag-Lloyd had previously indicated in June that the establishment of a ceasefire would not immediately allow for the resumption of passage through the Suez Canal, as attacks from Houthi militants based in Yemen could still pose a threat. 

A spokesperson for Hapag-Lloyd told Reuters, "The agreement has only just been reached. We will closely analyse the latest developments and their impact on the security situation in the Red Sea." A spokesperson from Maersk added, "It is still too early to speculate about timing." According to a company spokesperson, rearranging schedules would require an adjustment period of four to six weeks. Meanwhile, the leader of the Houthi rebels has vowed to continue their operations if Israel does not comply with the ceasefire agreement.