Since the early 2020s, the share of owned vessels among global container liners has risen from 43% to 63%, reflecting a shift away from charter dependence and toward greater operational flexibility. 

In a highly profitable yet volatile market, vessel ownership helps carriers mitigate rising charter costs and capacity shortages while improving fleet deployment efficiency.

MSC, HMM, and Wan Hai have reduced chartered capacity most significantly. Wan Hai has achieved a fully owned fleet, while MSC's fleet expansion has propelled it to become the world's largest container carrier. 

Overall, increasing vessel ownership has become a key strategy for strengthening competitiveness and reducing exposure to tightening charter markets.