News / Demand prospects for new year see box carriers back in charter market

© Mr.siwabud Veerapaisarn

Better than expected forward demand prospects across major and secondary tradelanes is encouraging ocean carriers back into the charter market to snap up any open tonnage.

However, according to Maersk Broker, most of the larger vessels remain ‘sold out’, with tonnage only becoming available from next spring, thereby underpinning daily hire rates.

Nonetheless, the broker reported “another fairly active week” on the containership charter market, also noted by London-based shipbroker Braemar.

It said there had been “plenty of action once again, with a ...