Idle container fleet shrinks as port congestion keeps box ships busy - Bruce Barnard, Special Correspondent | Nov 25, 2014 4:04PM EST - JOC NEWS The idle container ship fleet has fallen to its lowest level since the global financial crisis erupted in late 2008 , thanks to carrier reluctance to pull more sailings during the slack winter season and port congestion on the U.S. West Coast and in Manila that is keeping vessels in work. There were 105 jobless ships over 500 TEUs with an aggregate capacity of 202,000 TEUs, accounting for 1.1 percent of the global fleet, as of November 17, according to industry analyst Alphaliner. This compares with the previous lowest level of 117 vessels totalling 260,000 TEUs, or 2.1 percent of the global fleet, in November 2008. A year later there were 566 unemployed ships of 1.43 million TEUs, or 11 percent of the fleet. The main reason for the low level of idle ships is the U.S. port congestion which “keeps busy several large vessels that would otherwise be underemployed,” Alphaliner said. Waiting for berth windows at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has also caused some vessels to miss their sailing slots. Numerous extra vessels of 1,000-2,500 TEUs are also being deployed on services to Manila, due to the severe congestion that has afflicted the Philippines main port since the middle of the year. This has substantially reduced unemployment of ships in this size range. Carriers’ reluctance to cancel more sailings through the weak winter shipping season has also contributed to the declining number of unemployed container ships. So far only the G6 alliance has made significant service cutbacks for the winter season, withdrawing three loops on the Far East- US and Far East-North Europe trades.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 04:53:49 +0000
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