According to a recent weekly report from maritime analyst Clarksons Research, the average sailing speed of commercial cargo ships has declined across the board in early 2025. This marks a shift from 2024, when speed trends varied significantly between sectors.
Since 2008, average vessel speeds have dropped by 20% to 30% in most maritime sectors. Initially, this slowdown was largely driven by fleet overcapacity in the wake of the global financial crisis, along with high fuel prices. More recently, decarbonization efforts have played a growing role. Nevertheless, fluctuations in market conditions and fuel prices remain the primary factors influencing vessel speeds.
When freight rates rise, vessels tend to speed up—a phenomenon known as «acceleration periods.» But once markets stabilize, the long-term trend resumes: slower speeds. For instance, average container ship speeds rose by 2% year-on-year in 2021, only to fall by 4% in both 2022 and 2023 as market conditions normalized.
In 2024, speed trends were mixed. Container ships increased their average speed by 1% compared to 2023, reaching 14.0 knots. The most notable rise occurred in vessels between 12,000 and 16,999 TEU, which saw a 4% increase. LNG carriers also saw a rise in average speeds.
However, most other sectors experienced declines. The average speed of oil tankers dropped slightly (-0.4% to 11.4 knots), with larger decreases recorded among bulk carriers (-0.8% to 10.9 knots), car carriers (-0.9% to 15.0 knots), and large LPG carriers (-1.2% to 13.9 knots). Across the board, merchant fleet speeds rose in early 2024 but dipped in the second half as market conditions softened.
In contrast to these mixed trends, the start of 2025 has seen a clear and consistent decline in vessel speeds across all major shipping segments. LNG carriers, for example, have slowed by 2.0% compared to their 2024 average, now operating at 14.6 knots. Bulk carriers are down 1.7% to 10.7 knots, and product tankers have reduced speed by 1.1% to 11.2 knots.
Clarksons also highlights that ‘eco’ ships continue to operate at slightly higher speeds than older vessels. Eco-design VLCCs and capesize bulkers currently sail about half a knot faster than conventional counterparts—a difference that has remained fairly stable in recent years. In the large LPG carrier segment, the speed gap between eco and non-eco ships has widened significantly, now standing at around 1.6 knots. Among LNG carriers, steam turbine-powered vessels have slowed down more sharply than newer units—by 12% compared to a 6% drop since 2018.
In summary, following varied speed trends in 2024, the early months of 2025 show a widespread reduction in sailing speeds across commercial shipping sectors—continuing the long-term trend toward slower operations.