THE global idle containership fleet increased to 286 ships with a total capacity of 750,900 TEU as of the end of January 2012, up 10-fold since June when it hit a low of 75,000 TEU, according to Paris-based Alphaliner.
This was attributed to excessive growth container shipping capacity combined with "sluggish' demand on all key trade lanes. By contrast the total active world fleet increased six per cent to 14.8 million TEU over the same period last year.
The data highlights that the Far East-Europe and Far East-North America trades, accounting for 40 per cent of total world fleet deployment, experienced the smallest capacity growth compared to all other routes last year.
It said total capacity deployed on the Far East-North America trade declined four per cent on the back of slowing North American imports in 2011, while the total Far East-Europe capacity grew by four per cent last year.
"Weak operating margins forced the withdrawal of a number of smaller-capacity loops on both of these two routes last year," said the report.
As for the total capacity deployed the on transatlantic, Far East-Middle East, Latin America and Oceania trade lanes rose more than 10 per cent during the period under review. It said that "weaker" demand is expected this year. However, it anticipates the addition of further capacity into these secondary trade lanes will be "limited".
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