Shipyards receive orders for 55 new box ships since January

FIRM orders for new container ships total 55, adding 306,000 TEU to the global fleet since January.

"The rise in ordering activity reflects growing optimism about longer term prospects for the container shipping sector as both carriers and non-operating owners have returned to shipyards for new tonnage," said an Alphaliner report.


"However, the orders placed by non-operating owners so far only represent 23 per cent of the total capacity ordered year to date. Traditional non-operating owners are still facing significant funding difficulties and will likely play a less important role in the market for the near term compared to before."


Charter owners control more than 51 per cent of the total containership capacity but their share is expected to fall over the next three years as more carrier owned tonnage is delivered.