Maersk and MSC have agreed to terminate the 2M alliance from January 2025.

Markets have changed substantially since the two world-leading carriers launched their collaboration in 2015, and this now results in a dissolution of the partnership.

A joint statement from the two companies reads as follows:

”Discontinuing the 2M alliance paves the way for both companies to continue to pursue their individual strategies. We have very much appreciated the partnership and look forward to a continued strong collaboration throughout the remainder of the agreement period. We remain fully committed to delivering on the 2M alliance’s services to customers of MSC and Maersk,” say Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc and MSC CEO Søren Toft in a joint statement.

The collaboration has a two-year term of notice.

As described by ShippingWatch, Maersk and MSC have in recent years moved in opposite strategic directions.

When 2M was established, having major ships was considered crucial.

This belief has now been revised by some carriers at a time where the logistics chaos of the pandemic has made companies reorganize their supply chains, spreading out production over more countries as well.

Three major container alliances exist today: 2M, Ocean Alliance and The Alliance.

Speculations have circled for long as to whether the 2M alliance would be dissolved or altered to align with the post-pandemic reality on freight markets.

The deal between the two carriers is a so-called Vessel Sharing Agreement, VSA, where Maersk and MSC on certain routes are allowed to use slots aboard each others’ ships, thereby optimizing operations.

English edit: Kristoffer Grønbæk