Maersk says must accept lower container mkt share

Danish shipping and oil group A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Wednesday it would have to accept a lower global market share in container shipping in the short term.

Obviously we don't want to lose market share, on the other hand we are, given the present market conditions, quite pleased we don't have the largest order book coming on stream in the next couple of years, Maersk Chief Executive Nils Andersen told a conference call.

That means we will have to accept some loss of market share. We want to make it as little as possible, he said.

The conglomerate -- which runs the world's largest container shipping operator, Maersk Line -- said global growth in numbers of containers shipped in the first half reached 7 percent while it achieved 5 percent growth.