In international container shipping, every shipping company has a standard SCAC code (Standard Carrier Alpha Code, the four-letter carrier code assigned by the US NMFTA), used for booking, bills of lading, and customs declaration recognition. Foreign trade enterprises and cargo owners familiar with the Chinese and English names and codes of shipping companies can more accurately verify documents and track cargo. This article outlines major shipping companies according to the global capacity landscape (information as of 2026), and links to detailed introduction pages for each shipping company.
Note: SCAC codes are subject to the official websites of shipping companies and booking documents. In case of any changes, please refer to the actual issued documents.
1. Global Liner Alliances and Major Shipping Companies
Currently, the global container liner shipping market is dominated by three major alliances, with some large carriers operating independently:
| Alliance | Member Carrier | Chinese Name | SCAC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Alliance | COSCO | COSCO Shipping | COSU |
| CMA CGM | CMA CGM | CMDU | |
| EVERGREEN | Evergreen Marine | EGLV | |
| OOCL | Orient Overseas | OOLU | |
| Gemini Cooperation | Maersk | Maersk | MAEU |
| Hapag-Lloyd | Hapag-Lloyd | HLCU | |
| Premier Alliance | ONE | Ocean Network Express | ONEY |
| HMM | Hyundai Merchant Marine | HMMC | |
| YANG MING | Yang Ming Marine Transport | YMLU | |
| Independent Operation | MSC | Mediterranean Shipping Company | MSCU |
| ZIM | ZIM Integrated Shipping Services | ZIMU | |
| WAN HAI | Wan Hai Lines | WHLC | |
| KMTC | Korea Marine Transport Company | KMTC |
2. Other Major Liner and Regional Shipping Companies
| Chinese Name | English Name | SCAC | Main Routes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific International Lines | PIL (Pacific International Lines) | PILS | Asia-Africa, Asia-South America |
| SITC International | SITC | SITC | Intra-Asia routes |
| Safmarine Shipping | Safmarine | SAFM | Africa routes (now merged into Maersk system) |
| American President Lines | APL | APLU | Trans-Pacific (under CMA CGM system) |
| Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha | K Line | KKLU | Asia-Europe/North America (merged into ONE) |
| Mitsui O.S.K. Lines | MOL | MOLU | Same as above (merged into ONE) |
| Nippon Yusen Kaisha | NYK | NYKU | Same as above (merged into ONE) |
China Domestic Trade and Short-Sea Liner
html| Chinese Name | English Name | Main Routes |
|---|---|---|
| 中外运集运 | Sinotrans Container Lines | Short-sea and domestic trade trunk routes |
| 中谷物流 | Zhonggu Logistics | Domestic container shipping trunk routes |
| 安通控股 | Antong Holdings | Domestic coastal and short-sea routes |
| 泛亚航运 | Panocean Shipping | Domestic container and short-sea routes |
| 锦江航运 | Jinjiang Shipping | China-Japan and China-Korea routes |
| 中联航运 | CU Lines | China-US routes |
3. Uses of SCAC Codes in Practice
Booking and Bill of Lading: The SCAC code of the shipping company must be accurately filled in on the booking confirmation, bill of lading, and cargo manifest. Spelling errors may cause customs rejection or cargo delay.
Customs declaration: In the import/export customs declaration form, the "Name and voyage number of transport means" field requires the carrier shipping company information, and the SCAC code serves as the standardized identification reference.
Cargo Tracking: Use the SCAC code and Bill of Lading number to check container tracking on the shipping company's official website or third-party platforms (such as ShipmentLink and YunQuna).
Further reading: COSCO Shipping detailed introduction, Maersk detailed introduction, MSC detailed introduction, Ocean Network Express ONE detailed introduction, CMA CGM detailed introduction, Wan Hai Shipping detailed introduction
4. Key Considerations for Choosing a Shipping Company
- Route Coverage: Whether the destination port is served by direct or transshipment services, and whether the sailing frequency meets delivery deadlines.
- Transit Time and Schedule Reliability: Refer to public data on carrier schedule reliability and historical performance.
- Cost Structure: In addition to ocean freight, the composition of surcharges and destination port charges (consult a freight forwarder for billing methods).
- Supporting Services: Ease of booking, flexibility in amendments, and inland extension service capabilities.
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