As global demand for container ships continues to significantly exceed supply, the number of idle ships has dropped to levels not seen since the pandemic. According to new data from Alphaliner, in the first half of this year, the laid-up tonnage averaged 0.7% of the container ship fleet, “returning to the levels observed during the pandemic,” the analyst reported.
In terms of TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit), the laid-up tonnage accounted for 210,000 of the 29.6 million TEU of the total capacity of the global container ship fleet, matching the figures recorded in the first half of 2022. Currently, Alphaliner’s data shows only 77 ships without commercial activity and available, totaling 217,038 TEU, but only two of them exceed 12,500 TEU.
According to statements by Stanley Smulders, Director of Marketing and Commerce at the container shipping line operator ONE, there are no idle ships. “All ships are working. All shipping companies need ships right now,” Smulders stated.
Alphaliner also noted that the number of larger ships to be delivered later this year and next year has increased considerably. “This may seem surprising at first glance, considering that the current demand boom is largely due to temporary factors, such as the Red Sea crisis that has caused rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope and an early peak season,” the analyst explained.
However, it could be explained by the expectations of operators, who see a low likelihood of routes through the Suez Canal recovering in the short term. “Higher-than-expected cargo volumes, thanks to a better-than-expected global economic performance despite numerous geopolitical challenges, could also explain some of the operators’ confidence,” Alphaliner concluded.