Showing 71 - 80 of 200
The most recent available data show that demand for the container shipping grew by 2.7% in 2016. With the supply side growing by only 1.3%, this meant that the fundamental market balance improved for the first time since 2011. This development is primarily due to decisive actions by shipowners who sold excess tonnage for demolition.
Overall, container volumes being moved around the world have grown by an average GDP-to-trade multiplier of just 1.1 since 2010 and we expect this to continue in coming years. With IMF expecting GDP growth of 3.4% in 2016, this translates into container demand of 3.5-4%.
The labour conflict that caused a widespread and highly disruptive strike and subsequent congestion in most US West Coast ports, especially for the container shipping industry ended toward the end of February.
Following five weak months of demand growth (January-May), transported container volumes are finally growing on the Far East to Europe trading lane – as much as 1.9% y-o-y in the first seven months of 2013.
In 2023, the container market grew 0.2% year-on-year, ending at 173.8 million TEU. Compared to 2019, before the COVID pandemic hit, the market grew 1.5%. Container market growth has lagged behind overall economic development significantly, as the world economy has grown 10% since 2019.
Overall Asian exports look weak for the moment, as consumers hold back across the board.
Since July 2020, the container market has benefitted from a surge in consumption of goods compared to pre-COVID levels, and head-haul and regional trade volumes have followed. Compared to the same period of 2019, container volumes in the second half of 2020 were up 5.7% while full year 2021 volumes were 9.0% higher. Volumes in the first half of 2022 were up 8.3%, also compared with H1 2019. Despite a growing fleet, capacity supply was unable to keep up as port congestion absorbed as much as 14% of the fleet, data from Sea-Intelligence shows.
Despite falling 1.1% m/m in both November and December, US retail sales volumes remain 13% above 2019 levels and 6% higher than the pre-COVID trend. However, sales volumes could return to trend during 2023 and thereby pose a risk for Asia to North America container volumes.
James Hetfield may have had container line operators in mind when writing: “Waiting for the one – the day that never comes – when you stand up and feel the warmth – but the sunshine never comes”.
The shipping number of the week provides members with a brief analysis of relevant developments in the shipping markets.
