Alphaliner is reporting French container shipping giant CMA CGM has officially crossed the 4m teu threshold in operated capacity this week. The achievement cements CMA CGM’s position as the world’s third-largest container carrier, trailing only MSC (6.7m teu) and Maersk (4.6m teu).

This latest milestone represents a quadrupling of CMA CGM’s size over the past 16 years (see chart below). The group, founded in 1978 and still privately owned by the Saadé family, reached its first 1m teu in 2009, followed by 2m teu in 2016 and 3m teu in 2021.

CMA CGM’s storied growth path includes major acquisitions that reshaped its global footprint. Landmark deals include the purchase of French state-owned CGM in 1996, Australian carrier ANL in 1998, Delmas in 2005, and the high-profile acquisition of American President Line (APL) in 2016.

Additionally, the group has absorbed several regional players, including MacAndrews, Cheng Lie Navigation, OPDR, Mercosul Line, and Containerships Oy.

Today, the Marseille-based group operates a fleet of 683 container vessels, both owned and chartered. CMA CGM also boasts the industry’s second-largest orderbook, with 95 vessels on order totalling 1.5m teu.

With its substantial newbuild program, CMA CGM is positioning itself to challenge Maersk’s number two position on the Alphaliner rankings. While Maersk currently maintains 4.6m teu in operated capacity, the Danish giant has signalled it does not intend to grow beyond this level, instead focusing on replacing older ships with a 682,000 teu orderbook.

Over the past five years, the cash-rich Saadé family has been steering CMA CGM beyond its core shipping business, expanding into logistics, air freight, and media.