Les membres du TAA font référence à sept grands armateurs mondiaux «indépendants» et susceptibles d'entrer sur le trafic transatlantique en concurrence avec le TAA. Le tableau suivant indique les accords auxquels chacune de ces sept compagnies participe sur les deux autres grands trafics est-ouest mondiaux. Ces accords regroupent simultanément un nombre significatif de membres du TAA.
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L'attrait des accords de stabilisation tels que le TAA, le TSA et l'EATA pour les armateurs asiatiques est d'ailleurs clairement exprimé par ces derniers:
«Asian shipowners in stability pacts call»
«A surprise call for all independent operators to join their appropriate liner trade stabilization agreements has been made by representatives of Asian shipowners' organizations.
An unanimous recommendation that all non-participating lines should join the Transpacific, Transatlantic and Europe-Asia stabilization agreements has been issued by the Asian Shipowners' Forum following a meeting in Beijing [. . .].
The success of this appeal was ensured when Chinese representatives backed the call.
China's support was something of a surprise as it has previously displayed a less than enthousiastic attitude towards shipping agreements and conferences.
An addendum to a communiquee agreed at the forum was proposed by the Chinese delegation "recommending" that all non-participating lines join to explore ways of further strengthening the agreements» (1).
L'armateur chinois le plus important est Cosco.
(1) Lloyd's List, 19. 5. 1994.