News
Global container movement is expected to grow a mere 3% to 4% year on year in 2012, according to a report released on Nov. 22 by Nippon Yusen Kaisha （NYK）’ Research Group.
In 2011, container throughput increased 8% from a year earlier to 163,000,000 TEUs worldwide, but this year, growth is projected to be smaller, as shipments to and from Europe were not as brisk as expected during the peak season.
It is unveiled in the annual report, the 2012 version of “World Containership Fleet and its Operations,” that container tonnage amounted to 16,300,000 TEUs （5,087 containership） as of the end of August, which increased by 1,039,000 TEUs （79 containerships）, or 7% year on year.
Gigantic container carriers of 10,000 TEUs and greater, which totaled 153 in number, accounted for 1,950,000 TEUs, swelling a remarkable 52%.
It is scheduled that a total of 242 containership newbuildings will be completed in 2012, providing a combined tonnage of 1,430,912 TEUs, which would raise the global total by 7.4%.
The NYK report anticipates that large containerships will continue to be built en masse in 2013.
It is foreseen that 284 newbuildings will add a new tonnage of 1,799,932 TEUs, or some 10% next year.
However, container movement is forecast to increase a mild 3% to 4%, or 5% at most in 2013; as such, it is pointed out in the NYK report that the gap between supply and demand is likely to widen.
Focusing on the container tonnage as of the end of August by trade, 3,960,000 TEUs （430 containerships） were provided on the Asia/Europe trade, enjoying the largest share of 25% of the pie, according to the same report.
It was followed by the Asia/North America trade, where 2,605,000 TEUs （461 containerships） were offered, accounting for 16%.
By carrier, Maersk Line of Denmark operated 509 vessels of 2,512,605 TEUs, holding a share of 16%; Mediterranean Shipping Co. （MSC） of Switzerland, 399 vessels of 2,059,967 TEUs, 13%; and CMA CGM of France, 347 vessels of 1,291,780 TEUs, NYK said.
As these figures show, the three European shipping giants enjoyed a combined share of 37%.
