The world's shipyards are delivering a quantity of of record container ships. The International Shipowners' Association Bimco pointed out that if in 2023 the load capacity of the new container ships delivered to shipowners during the was a record high of 2.3 million TEU, +37% more than the previous all-time high, In the first four months of 2024, container ships were delivered for a record capacity for the period of more than one million TEU, with an increase of close to +80% compared to the previous record.

Niels Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst of Bimco - in the first four months of this year, they came out of the only 19 small container holders are on the market, so much so that the capacity of the world fleet has increased by almost one million TEUs, with an increase of +3.5% compared to the beginning of 2024 to last year's +8.2% growth.

With the record level of deliveries in place, the size of the order book, but - Rasmussen pointed out - given that in the course of 2023 and 2024, vessels were ordered for With a capacity of 1.8 million TEUs, the orderbook is decreased by only one million TEUs and is currently equal to 6.1 million TEUs, or 21% of fleet capacity currently in service. Therefore, the analyst of the Bimco - the share of orders is more than double that of the one before the Covid-19 pandemic and the start of the race to new orders initiated by shipping companies.

Rasmussen believes it will be delivered this year capacity of more than three million TEUs, with an increase of +30% compared to the record of 2023, while in 2025 deliveries will amount to almost two million TEUs, inferior only to those of the in 2023 and 2024.

Rasmussen noted that, despite the large capacity expected to be delivered, the current cargo hold volume expected to be delivered is far from the record when compared to the size of the fleet: By 2024, we expect deliveries to reach 11% of fleet capacity at the beginning of the year, percentage share which is lower than the most recent high level established in 2008 when deliveries amounted to 14% of the fleet.

The association's analyst also focused on the Effects of injecting new capacity on the market: "Record deliveries were expected," Rasmussen said. of ships would have led to a significant oversupply in the market and, although this has had an impact on the market in the 2023, it looks like this year's deliveries will help keep world trade moving by containers." Rasmussen attributes this to the effects of the crisis geopolitical situation in the Middle East that has forced companies to containerized shipping companies to choose maritime routes alternatives to the one that crosses the Suez Canal: cause of the diversion of ships around the Cape of Good Hope following the attacks in the Red Sea by the Houthis - he said explained - about 10% more than capacity to handle global container traffic. At to this 10% should be added the capacity needed to market growth. Most likely - it has concluded Rasmussen - when the ships begin to resume their sailing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal we will witness to a significant oversupply. Between 2019 and 2023 - recalled - the fleet grew by 21%, while the volumes containerized vehicles increased by only 4%. Between 2023 and 2025, the The fleet is expected to grow by another 15%."