The world here is every country and territory whose business registers we hold. Our list of shipping companies in the world holds companies in 177 of its countries.
List of Shipping Companies Worldwide
Shipping companies carry passengers, containers and bulk cargo by sea on ferries, freighters and tankers. We list 112,239 shipping companies in the world, most of them in China (19%) and India (17%). One list for the whole territory, with the register number of each country. Download it as a database or pull it through our Company Data API.
112,239 companies indexed · Data counted on 2 November 2026
Companies112,239
Countries177
Largest countryChina
Employees1-4
Revenue$500K-$1M
Email8.5%
Phone36%
Website11%
CEO name65%
Live sample of shipping companies in the world
Below you see a live sample of the 112,239 shipping companies, sorted by number of employees. Filter on country, size, revenue, legal form or founding year, or search a company by name.
Bhp Freight PTY LTDBhp Freight PTY LTD
| Company Name | Country | City | Address 1 | State/Province | Postal Code | Website | Founding Year | Yearly Revenue in U.S. Dollars | Employees Total | Business Legal Type - Description | Number of Companies in Group | Company Registration Number | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bhp Freight PTY LTD | Australia | Melbourne | Level 18 171 Collins Street | Victoria | 3000 | *****.com | 1985 | $13,122,941,312 | 91,304 | Corporation | 264 | 006480548 |
| 2 | Teekay Shuttle Tankers L.L.C. | Marshallislands | Ajeltake Island Majuro | Trust Company Complex Ajeltake Rd | N/A | 96960 | N/A | N/A | $3,969,045,000 | 45,000 | N/A | N/A | |
| 3 | Saudi Shipping & Maritime Services CO. LTD | Saudiarabia | Jeddah | Dan Commercial Centre, 1st Floor, Offices 103 & 104 | Makkah | 21472 | N/A | 1979 | $5,448,760 | 18,568 | Corporation | N/A | 4030018366 |
| 4 | Juisea Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Rotterdam | Fascinatio Boulevard 264 | Zuid-holland | 3065 WB | N/A | 2021 | $7,113,568,536 | 13,424 | Corporation | 127 | 84757914 |
| 5 | Hellmann Worldwide Logistics (private) LIMITED | Srilanka | Colombo | 50/25 A, Sir James Peiris Mawatha | Western Province | N/A | N/A | 1982 | $1,079,315,637 | 12,237 | Corporation | 365 | PV4615 |
| 6 | Ocean Network Express Lanka PVT LTD | Srilanka | Colombo | 349 8/1, Galle Road | Western Province | 03 | N/A | 2018 | $1,437,280,000 | 10,000 | Corporation | N/A | PV127631 |
| 7 | Arjuna Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527377 |
| 8 | Kika Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | N/A | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527385 |
| 9 | Foster Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527415 |
| 10 | Semeru Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527326 |
| 11 | Scenery Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527334 |
| 12 | Tongariro Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527342 |
| 13 | Agung Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527350 |
| 14 | Alutan Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527369 |
| 15 | Erebus Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527393 |
| 16 | Taranaki Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527407 |
| 17 | Katla Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527423 |
| 18 | Mayon Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2017 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 69527431 |
| 19 | Hastveda Shipping B.V. | Netherlands | Pijnacker | Prismastraat 4 | Zuid-holland | 2631 RT | *****.nl | 2021 | $1,183,012,439 | 9,401 | Corporation | 214 | 82146233 |
| 20 | S T F A Deniz Isletmeciligi Sanayi Ve Ticaret A S | Turkey | İstanbul | Stfa Is Merkezi, No:3 Icerenkoy Mahallesi | İstanbul | 34752 | N/A | 1985 | $1,142,561,000 | 7,000 | Corporation | 19 | 215961 |
| 21 | Azerbaycan Xazar Deniz Gemiciliyi, Qsc | Azerbaijan | Baku | 2 Mikail Useynov Str. | Baku City | AZ1003 | N/A | 2014 | $262,002,525 | 6,846 | Corporation | 251 | 1701579951 |
| 22 | Nippon Steel Logistics CO., LTD. | Japan | Chuo-ku | 1-13-1, Nihombashi | Tōkyō | 103-0027 | N/A | 1942 | $1,557,413,208 | 6,717 | Corporation | 1866 | 1010001098619 |
| 23 | Rederiet A. P. Moller A/S | Denmark | København | Esplanaden 50 | Hovedstaden | 1263 | *****.com | 1970 | $86,909 | 5,706 | Corporation | 2015 | 37048119 |
| 24 | Volga-Flot, AO | Russia | Nizhniy Novgorod | 15a Pl. Markina | Nizhegorodskaya Oblast' | 603001 | N/A | 1994 | $175,193,249 | 5,175 | Corporation | 7 | 03144484 |
| 25 | Mazgaon Dock LIMITED | India | Mumbai | Dockyard Road | Maharashtra | 400010 | *****.in | 1961 | $433,860,719 | 4,919 | Corporation | N/A | MHBAN0000437000 |
Showing 25 of 112,239 companies
Request Free SampleCompanies by Employee Size
- 1-453,986
- 5-910,214
- 10-1923,185
- 20-4915,048
- 50-991,748
- 10.000+6
- 100-199837
- 200-499493
- 500-999130
- 1.000-4.99984
- 5.000-9.99918
- 0 or Unknown6,490
Companies by Revenue Size (in USD)
- 0 or Unknown10,771
- 1 to 100.00013,790
- 100.001 to 499.99929,541
- 500.000 to 999.99912,340
- 1.000.000.000 or more112
- 1.000.000 to 4.999.99938,066
- 5.000.000 to 9.999.9994,566
- 10.000.000 to 49.999.9992,124
- 50.000.000 to 99.999.999369
- 100.000.000 to 499.999.999460
- 500.000.000 to 999.999.999100
Largest shipping companies in the world
The biggest shipping companies in the world by staff and by revenue, the largest in China, the biggest newcomers of 2026 and the oldest. Click a name for the record.
Teekay Shuttle Tankers L.L.C. is the largest shipping company in the world by headcount. 3,316 shipping companies employ 50 people or more; 1,568 employ 100 or more.
7,731 shipping companies in the world turn over more than $5 million a year; 3,165 more than $10 million. Branches of foreign groups are left out: their records carry the group's turnover.
China has the most shipping companies in the world: 21,215, or 19% of the list. These are its largest by headcount.
3,225 shipping companies were entered in a register in the world so far in 2026. These are the largest of them by headcount.
89 shipping companies in the world in our data were founded before 1900.
Most shipping companies in the world are very small: 51% have 1 to 4 employees, and 50% sit between $500K and $5M in yearly revenue.
Which countries have the most shipping companies?
The world here is every country and territory whose business registers we hold. Each country has its own business register and company number. The list carries them all in one file.
Shipping companies per country, 177 countries
- 1China21,215 (19%)
- 2India19,576 (17%)
- 3Turkey6,365 (6%)
- 4Japan5,859 (5%)
- 5The Netherlands5,240 (5%)
- 6The United States4,595 (4%)
- 7Brazil4,248 (4%)
- 8Norway3,731 (3%)
- 9Germany2,644 (2%)
- 10Ukraine2,529 (2%)
- 11Thailand2,439 (2%)
- 12The United Kingdom2,394 (2%)
- 13Italy1,684 (2%)
- 14Mexico1,525 (1%)
- 15Russia1,494 (1%)
China and India together hold 36% of the shipping companies in the world. The list carries each country's own register number, so you can match it against the local register. The other 162 countries hold 26,698 more.
Which continents have the most shipping companies?
Asia holds 50% of the shipping companies in our data, Europe 26% and South America 8%.
Shipping companies per continent
- 1Asia55,914 (50%)
- 2Europe29,723 (26%)
- 3South America8,699 (8%)
- 4Middle East7,655 (7%)
- 5North America7,419 (7%)
- 6Africa2,469 (2%)
- 7Oceania357 (1%)
How many shipping companies started this year?
This year 3,225 new shipping companies registered in the world, after 4,410 last year.
Founded per year
- 7,5392022
- 6,8572023
- 4,9162024
- 4,4102025
- 3,2252026 so far
Legal forms of shipping companies in the world
55% of the shipping companies in the world are corporations.
- Corporations61,443
- Sole traders30,048
- Partnerships5,597
- Foreign companies676
- Cooperatives239
- Non-profit102
- Other or unknown14,134
Which shipping companies are part of a group?
17,745 of the 112,239 shipping companies in the world (16%) are part of a chain or group: 7,278 head offices or parent companies and 10,467 branches. The other 94,494 (84%) trade from a single location. 43 of the 46 largest shipping companies in the world by revenue belong to a group.
Chains and single locations
| Location | Share | Companies | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single location | 94,494 | 84% | |
| Head office | 7,278 | 6% | |
| Branch | 10,467 | 9% |
Largest groups in this list
- 1Nippon Steel Logistics CO., Ltd.1,866 in group
- 2Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha894 in group
- 4Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.663 in group
- 5Nisshin Asset Management, K.K.369 in group
The groups are counted from the 46 largest companies in this list by revenue, not from all 112,239; our API cannot yet filter on group size. The chain count above covers the whole list.
What do shipping companies do?
Shipping companies operate container ships, bulk carriers, tankers and ferries, while agents, brokers and port service firms arrange cargo, crews and port calls. Their customers are importers, exporters, freight forwarders, energy and commodity traders and passengers, and a few global container lines carry much of world trade next to many owners of one or two ships.
Our data comes from the business registers of 177 countries, where shipping companies are classified under SIC codes 4412 (deep sea foreign transportation of freight), 4424 (deep sea domestic transportation of freight) and 4449 (water transportation of freight, not elsewhere classified). In NACE, the European code those registers use, 91,562 of them (82%) sit in classes 50.20 (sea and coastal freight water transport) and 50.40 (inland freight water transport), part of division 50 (water transport).
How to get the data
Every shipping company comes with its register number, address, phone, email, employees, revenue, legal form and founding year.
Excel or CSV list
All 112,239 shipping companies in the world in one file, delivered within 24 hours.
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Create a free accountQuestions about shipping companies in the world
Every answer is counted from the data on this page.
Our data holds 112,239 shipping companies in the world, counted on 2 November 2026.
China, with 21,215 shipping companies or 19% of the total, followed by India (19,576) and Turkey (6,365).
Most shipping companies in the world are very small: 51% have 1 to 4 employees, and 50% sit between $500K and $5M in yearly revenue. The largest by employees is Teekay Shuttle Tankers L.L.C. in Ajeltake Island Majuro with 45,000 employees.
This year 3,225 new shipping companies registered in the world, after 4,410 last year.
Yes. Filter the table on this page by country, or open the page of that country, linked from the country ranking. You can also request all 112,239 shipping companies in the world as one Excel or CSV file.
Get the full list of shipping companies in the world
All 112,239 companies with register number, address, phone, email, employees, revenue, legal form and founding year. Excel or CSV, delivered within 24 hours.
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