News
Alphaliner reported that the idle containership fleet of over 500TEUs has fallen to 96 ships for 427,865TEUs as of 2 April, with demand for tonnage surging ahead of the busy summer season. The idle fleet now stands at 2.0% of the total box ships, compared to 2.9% or 626,996TEUs just two weeks before.
Since most services returning to full sailings after the Lunar New Year holidays in late February, together with a slate of new service launches beginning in late March and early April, the idle fleet has fallen accordingly. Demand will remain strong until June, with additional tonnage required to fill up all the sailing slots on new services that have been launched or are slated for launch, Alphaliner says.
Carriers feel the pressure from higher charter rates, as the availability of open tonnage shrinks. Alphaliner’s charter rate index has risen to a 3 year high, and is currently 40% higher compared to a year ago and 82% higher than the low recorded in December 2016.
