Maersk is launching a new blue color for their containers starting May 1, 2025. Photo: Maersk

Af Benita Dreyer-Andersen 6. maj 2025 17:23

The same look since 1988 – that calls for a change.

At least for Maersk, which has just completed a major makeover of – initially – 85,000 of the company’s containers. The rest of the fleet, which numbers in the millions, will follow suit.

The current light gray color of the Maersk containers with black text has now been replaced with the iconic Maersk blue, which will brighten up the company’s transport by sea, land, and air.

Maersk container from 1974 with a gray color and white text. Photo: Maersk

This makeover is only the third of its kind since 1975 when the company launched large-scale container transport. Maersk's first container ship set sail in 1956, but it wasn’t until nearly 20 years later that Maersk introduced the Panama Line as the first major container concept:

On September 5, 1975, Adrian Maersk set sail from Port Elizabeth on the U.S. East Coast, loaded with 385 containers in the first design: gray containers with the seven-pointed star and white lettering.

In 1988, the containers changed to the color we know today: a gray background with black text, and after 37 years, it’s now time for a more significant shift and a striking color.

- As our most visible brand asset, our gray containers will now proudly carry Maersk blue, which is already a hallmark of our iconic ships, planes, cranes, trucks, vans, and logistics facilities, says Sam Poulter, Global Head of Branding & Content at Maersk.

- Maersk blue not only represents our brand and legacy but also trust. And our containers represent the trust of our customers, who have entrusted their goods to Maersk, he adds.

Maersk's container look from 1988 to 2025: Gray container with black text. Photo: Maersk