Idle containership numbers reach historic highs

THE total global capacity of idle containerships has reached 800,000 TEU, representing 6.5 per cent of the world fleet, and the numbers are still rising, according to the latest figures compiled by AXS-Alphaliner News.

The number of idle containership as being the highest recorded in the history of container shipping, and twice the 3.2 percent recorded in March 2002 and even above the 5 per cent or so reached in 1986 when the whole fleet of U.S. Lines was frozen in the wake of this leading carrier's bankruptcy, it said.

This January 12 containerships totalling 22,000-TEU were scraped, or at least are on their way to the scrapyard.

According to the information provider's records, 89 box ships totalling 124,541-TEU were removed from the world fleet in 2008, of which 63 units totalling 104,292-TEU have been scrapped while 26 ships representing 20,249-TEU have been decelled with most of the vessels being converted for deployment on the bulk trades.

These deletions represented only 8 per cent of the cellular tonnage capacity which have entered the market last year, it added.

Source: Schednet