The Swiss-Italian Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) is embarking on an aggressive expansion that stands to eclipse the world's No 1 container shipping giant Maersk by 2017, says Alphaliner.

"MSC was recently linked to two new sets of orders for 19,000-TEU ships, bringing its orderbook to over 610,000 TEU," said the Paris-based shipping consultancy Alphaliner.

China Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co (BCLC) has signed orders for three 19,000 TEU ships at Daewoo (DSME), backed by long-term charters to MSC, adding to three similar units ordered in July last year, it said.

Maersk has not placed any new orders in three years while MSC's is three times the size of Maersk's orderbook.

The orders and options combined with commitments for 34 neo-panamax newbuildings of 8,800-9,400 TEU all for delivery in 2015 and 2016, could boost MSC's fleet from 2.5 million TEU to three million TEU by the end of 2016.

"The massive capacity expansion could allow MSC to overtake Maersk, which presently operates a fleet of 2.77 million TEU," said Alphaliner.