List of freight ship companies facts for kids

A huge container ship carrying lots of goods across the ocean.

Imagine all the toys, clothes, and electronics you use every day. How do they travel from where they are made to your home? Most of them travel across the oceans on giant ships! These ships are owned and operated by special companies called freight ship companies. They are super important for moving goods all around the world.

These companies use different kinds of ships to carry different things:

• Bulk carriers (BC) move loose stuff like grain, coal, or iron ore.
• Car carriers (CC) are like giant floating parking garages for cars.
• Container ships (CS) carry huge metal boxes called containers, packed with all sorts of items.
• Roll-on/Roll-off (RR) ships let vehicles, like trucks and cars, drive directly on and off the ship.
• Tankers (TK) transport liquids, such as oil, gas, or chemicals.

This article lists some of the biggest and most important freight ship companies, organized by their home country. If you want to learn about companies that carry people on ships, check out List of passenger ship companies.

Shipping Companies Around the World

Africa's Shipping Companies

Ethiopia

• Ethiopian Shipping Lines: This is Ethiopia's main shipping company.

South Africa

• Safmarine: A well-known company from South Africa, now part of a bigger group from Denmark.

Asia's Shipping Giants

Azerbaijan

• Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company: This company operates in the Caspian Sea region.

Bangladesh

• Bangladesh Shipping Corporation: A state-owned company that handles shipping for Bangladesh.

China

Mainland China

• China COSCO Shipping "COSCO": One of the largest shipping companies in the world, owned by the Chinese government.
• Sinotrans (HK) Shipping "Sinotrans": Another big state-owned company in China.

Hong Kong

• Orient Overseas Container Line "OOCL": A major player in container shipping.
• Pacific Basin Shipping Limited: Focuses on carrying dry bulk cargo.

India

• Shipping Corporation of India: This is India's biggest shipping company, owned by the government.

Indonesia

• Bumi Laut Group: A large shipping group based in Indonesia.

Iran

• Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines "IRISL": Iran's main shipping company.

Israel

• Zim Integrated Shipping Services: A global container shipping company from Israel.

Japan

Japan has some of the world's largest shipping companies:

• Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha "K Line": Carries bulk, cars, roll-on/roll-off cargo, and liquids.
• Mitsui O.S.K. Lines "MOL": Another huge Japanese company, moving bulk, cars, roll-on/roll-off cargo, and liquids.
• Nippon Yusen Kaisha "NYK Line": A very old and large company, also handling bulk, cars, roll-on/roll-off cargo, and liquids.
• Ocean Network Express "ONE": This company was formed by combining the container shipping parts of K Line, MOL, and NYK Line.

Singapore

Singapore is a major shipping hub:

• Neptune Orient Lines "NOL": A big shipping company from Singapore.
• Pacific International Lines "PIL": One of the largest shipping lines in Southeast Asia.

South Korea

• Hyundai Merchant Marine "HMM": A leading global shipping company, carrying cars, bulk, containers, roll-on/roll-off cargo, and liquids.
• Hyundai Glovis: Specializes in car shipping and logistics.

Malaysia

• MISC Berhad: A large Malaysian company, known for carrying energy products.

Pakistan

• Pakistan National Shipping Corporation "PNSC": Pakistan's national shipping company.

Philippines

• Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation: An important shipping company in the Philippines.

Saudi Arabia

• Bahri (company): Saudi Arabia's national shipping company, known for carrying oil and chemicals.

Taiwan

Taiwan has some of the biggest container shipping companies:

• Evergreen Marine: Famous for its green container ships.
• Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation: Another major container shipping company.

Turkey

• Arkas Container Transport: A significant container shipping company in Turkey.

Europe's Maritime Powers

Austria

• Austrian Lloyd Ship Management: Manages ships for various purposes.

Belgium

• Compagnie Maritime Belge "CMB": A diverse shipping group.

Croatia

• Atlantska Plovidba: A Croatian shipping company.

Denmark

Denmark is home to one of the world's largest shipping groups:

• Maersk Line: A global leader in container shipping.
• Dampskibsselskabet Norden "D/S Norden": Focuses on dry cargo and tankers.

Estonia

• Estonian Shipping Company (ESCO): Estonia's main shipping company.

Finland

• Finnlines: Operates in the Baltic Sea and North Sea, part of an Italian group.

France

• Compagnie Générale Maritime (CMA CGM): A very large global container shipping company.

Germany

Germany has several important shipping companies:

• Hamburg Süd: Now part of Maersk, it's known for its refrigerated cargo ships.
• Hapag-Lloyd: One of the biggest container shipping lines in the world.
• Oldendorff Carriers: A major dry bulk shipping company.

Greece

Greece has a long history of shipping:

• Atlas Maritime: A Greek shipping company.

Iceland

• Eimskip: An Icelandic shipping company, especially active in the North Atlantic.

Italy

• Grimaldi Group: A large Italian company with a focus on roll-on/roll-off and car carriers.

Latvia

• Latvian Shipping Company: Latvia's main shipping company.

Netherlands

• Seatrade: Specializes in refrigerated cargo.

Norway

Norway has many shipping companies, especially in specialized areas:

• Leif Höegh & Co: Known for car carriers and other specialized ships.
• Odfjell: A leading company in chemical tankers.
• Stolt-Nielsen: Another major player in chemical tankers and tank containers.
• Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics "WW": A huge company for car and roll-on/roll-off cargo, co-owned by Swedish and Norwegian companies.

Poland

• Polsteam: Poland's national shipping company.

Portugal

• Portline: A Portuguese shipping company.

Romania

• Histria Shipmanagement: A Romanian shipping company.

Russia

• Sovcomflot "SCF": Russia's largest shipping company, especially for oil and gas.

Sweden

• Stena Sphere: A large Swedish shipping and ferry group.
• Wallenius Lines AB: A major car and roll-on/roll-off carrier.

Switzerland

• Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. "MSC": The second-largest container shipping company in the world.

Ukraine

• UkrFerry: A Ukrainian ferry and shipping company.

United Kingdom

• Bibby Line: A long-standing British shipping company.

North America's Shipping Companies

Bermuda

• Frontline Ltd.: A large tanker company.

Canada

• Algoma Central: Operates on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.
• Canada Steamship Lines: Another major Great Lakes shipping company.

United States

• American President Lines: A historic American shipping company.
• Crowley Maritime: A diverse company with tugboats, barges, and cargo ships.
• Matson Navigation Company: Focuses on shipping to Hawaii and other Pacific islands.

Oceania's Shipping Companies

Australia

• Australian National Line: Australia's former national shipping line.

Fiji

• Patterson Brothers Shipping Company: Operates in Fiji.

Nauru

• Nauru Pacific Line: The national shipping line of Nauru.

New Zealand

• New Zealand Shipping Company: A historic company that connected New Zealand with the UK.

Samoa

• Pacific Forum Line: Connects Pacific island nations.

South America's Shipping Companies

Argentina

• Empresa Líneas Marítimas Argentinas "ELMA": Argentina's national shipping company.

Brazil

• Wilson, Sons: A Brazilian company with shipping and port services.

Chile

• Compañía Sudamericana de Vapores "CSAV": A large Chilean shipping company.

See also

• List of largest container shipping companies