News / Bringing in ultra-large boxships could be final throw of the dice for some carriers

© Khunaspix Dreamstime.

Against a backcloth of another steep drop in Asia-Europe spot rates last week – down 12% in just seven days – there seems to be no let-up in orders for ultra-large containerships, which, according to shipping consultant Drewry, is a “do or die” strategy by carriers “determined to stay in the race for more competitive economies of scale”.

Indeed, in its weekly Container Insight, Drewry says that the capacity of ULCS of over 10,000teu will increase by 31.4% this year, as 60 ...