Chile-based container line CSAV has been holding merger talks with Hapag-Lloyd that could see the two lines come together to create the world’s fourth-largest container shipping line. The two companies issued a statement to confirm that talks were taking place. The talks are to examine the possibility of combining operations in the best interests of both companies.

At the time of writing these discussions have not resulted in any binding or non-binding agreement between the parties.
A merger would give the carriers a combined containership fleet of just over 1.1 million teu resulting in the merged entity becoming the fourth-largest container shipping line in the world, behind Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co and CMA CGM and displacing Evergreen Marine from the fourth spot.

Hapag-Lloyd is now the world’s sixth-largest carrier with a containership fleet of 723,804 teu. CSAV is the 19th-largest shipping line, with a fleet of 294,176 teu. The two shipping lines’ strengths lie in different regions of the world; Hapag-Lloyd’s on the main east-west trade lanes and CSAV’s on the South American trade lanes.