Alliance system enables simpler, 'agile' capacity adjustments while historically-low order book for ships 'is geared towards a low growth scenario,' says Maersk CEO. Container shipping is far better positioned to ride out the coronavirus pandemic than it has been when confronted with previous crises, according to Soren Skou, CEO of AP Moller-Maersk. Speaking to analysts yesterday after reporting a profit bump in Q1 that was buoyed by resilient spot rates despite declining demand, the head of the world's largest box shipping line outlined a range of structural changes to the market that would help provide stability in the months ahead. "I would say there are a number of competitive dynamics which are different than what we have seen, certainly [during] the global financial crisis [in 2008-09] but also during 2011 and in 2015 when the industry on the carrier side had quite brutal price wars," he said.