Container market dynamics challenge big ship economics, says Maersk

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Seatrade reports from a Maersk Line media briefing in which chief operating officer Soren Toft admits that the traditional economist view that big ships equal lower operating costs has become corroded in today’s environment of very low charter rates and very low bunker costs. “So part of the equation of going from a 6,000 teu vessel to a 10,000 teu vessel in a trade is being challenged because of these dynamics.” Quite what insight that brings Maersk’s strategic development remains unclear, but it would appear a change of thinking is under way.