Global container fleet grows 8.5% in 2011

   The container equipment fleet grew by 8.5 percent during 2011, despite demand significantly tailing off from the second quarter through the rest of the year, according to a new report from Drewry Maritime Research.
   The report, Container Census 2012 – Survey and Forecast of Global Container Units, projects that up to 70 percent of 2011 net additions to the global container fleet were made in the first six months of the year. The fleet at the end of 2011 was 31.3 million TEUs.
   “The underlying reason for the slowdown in the latter half of 2011 was an apparent misreading of demand,” Drewry said. “Few buyers predicted an over-supply (900,000 TEUs by mid-2011, and more than 500,000 TEUS at the end of 2011) that was exacerbated by a weak peak season. Even so, utilization of the in-service fleet held at a very high level, topping 95 percent.”
   The effect of high utilization is that container-to-slot operating levels have dropped to historic lows, from two-to-one at the end of 2008 to close to 1.8-to-one in 2010/11.
    “This has been achieved by shipping companies working their assets harder, which considering the increasing container dwell times resulting from slow steaming, is something of an achievement,” Drewry said.
   Andrew Foxcroft, author of the Container Census report, forecasts annual container fleet growth will be around 7 percent from 2012 through 2015 as shipping companies continue to adopt a tight container/slot operating ratio, while also increasing replacement purchase in comparison to 2010-2011.
   Fleet growth since 2009 has continued to be dominated by leasing companies, who posted growth of 10.6 percent in 2011, compared to shipping lines and other transport companies only registering 7 percent growth.
   “Investment by shipping lines in particular was curtailed when their profits slumped and debts rose,” Drewry said. “However some lines have tentatively resumed equipment investment, but they are still very much testing the waters.”