News / Big spike in containership lay-ups mid-peak season a worry for owners

© Kok Keong Ng

Alphaliner’s bellwether containership idle tonnage data has recorded a big spike in vessels being consigned to lay-up, shifting the supply-demand balance back in favour of the charterer.

The consultant said the capacity of the idle tonnage fleet had risen to 341,000 teu by the end of July, representing 1.6% of the total global cellular fleet.

This is a worrying increase for shipowners, not least because this has happened in the middle of the peak season.

Indeed, with the slack season not normally expected until October, Alphaliner said ...