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Updated September 24, 2026

Top maritime carriers from South Korea

10 carriers based in South Korea, ranked by number of ships.

South Korea is home to 10 maritime carriers operating a combined fleet of around 549 vessels. Below is the live ranking of these companies by fleet size, sourced from carrier reports and industry datasets.

The top three carriers — PAN OCEAN, Eukor and Sinokor Merchant Marine — account for approximately 74% of the total fleet linked to South Korea, reflecting the heavy industry concentration typical of the maritime sector.

The maritime activity tied to South Korea spans several generations: the oldest tracked carrier (Namsung Shipping) was established in 1953, while the most recent (Sinokor Merchant Marine) was founded in 1989.

Carriers from South Korea

10

Combined fleet (ships)

549

Average per company

55

Where carriers linked to South Korea actually sail

Distribution of trade-lane coverage for carriers in this ranking. Most operate multi-region services, which explains why the percentages sum to more than 100%.

Asia10/10 (100%)
South America3/10 (30%)
North America2/10 (20%)
Oceania2/10 (20%)
Europe1/10 (10%)
Africa1/10 (10%)

Featured carriers from this ranking

A closer look at the top three operators ranked here. Each profile summarises their fleet, founding year and regional coverage.

203 vessels in fleet · founded in 1966 · 4 trade regions covered

View full profile

130 vessels in fleet · 15 maritime lines · 6 trade regions covered

View full profile

74 vessels in fleet · founded in 1989 · 65 maritime lines · 1 trade region covered

View full profile

All carriers from South Korea

Full list of carriers headquartered in South Korea, sorted by fleet size. 10 carriers listed.

#CarrierShips
1PAN OCEAN203
2Eukor130
3Sinokor Merchant Marine74
4Korea Marine Transport Company65
5Namsung Shipping20
6Heung-A Shipping17
7CK Line16
8Dongjin Shipping9
9DongYoung Shipping8
10Pan Continental Shipping Co,. Ltd.7

Frequently Asked Questions

How many carriers are headquartered in South Korea?
Seadex tracks 10 carriers with their main office in South Korea.
Who is the largest carrier from South Korea?
PAN OCEAN is currently the largest carrier from South Korea by fleet size.
Are subsidiaries included in this South Korea ranking?
No — only carriers whose primary headquarters is in South Korea. Subsidiaries of foreign groups appear in their parent country's ranking.

Source: Seadex aggregated data, 2026

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See the total carbon footprint of shipping companies including all operations

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