Alphaliner: Transpacific lane absorbed most capacity in 2012

   The information service Alphaliner said global cellular containership fleet capacity was 16.34 million TEUs on Jan. 1, a 6 percent increase over the previous year. 
   According to Alphaliner’s latest weekly newsletter, the increase reflects the delivery of 207 ships in 2012 with capacity of 1.26 million TEUs, partially offset by scrapping and other deletions of 200 ships with capacity of 350,550 TEUs.
   Where did the new capacity go? While capacity is about flat in the Far East-Asia and Latin America trade lanes, Alphaliner said capacity in the Far East-to-North America trade lane is up 10 percent, up 9 percent in both the Africa-related and Oceania trade lanes, and up 8 percent in the intra-Europe trade.
   More modest increases of 5 percent in intra-Far East lanes, 4 percent in the Middle East and Indian subcontinent trade lanes, and 1 percent in the transatlantic were reported by Alphaliner.
   Alphaliner says ships with capacity of 3.43 million TEUs, about 21 percent of current capacity, are on order from shipyards. – Chris Dupin