News / Demand for smaller ships boosts charter market while ULCVs sit at anchor

Photo: VesselFinder

The number of newbuild ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) temporarily idled off the Chinese coast is growing with Asia-Europe carriers forced to halt plans to cascade incumbent ships to other trades.

Alliance partners are reportedly experiencing considerable resistance from partners to the phasing in of the 24,000 teu behemoths – stemmed to displace average 18,000 teu ships – not least because of the added pressure to fill the pooled slots against a backdrop of falling demand.

And the oversupply position is set to ...