News / Idle containership fleet hits three-year low and could mean a boost for charter rates

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Ahead of the Chinese Golden Week holiday in early October, the number of open containerships has fallen across most sectors.

A spate of “brisk fixing activity” has reduced Alphaliner’s idle fleet bi-monthly report to 120 ships, totalling 228,000 teu, as of September8. This is the lowest number of laid-up container vessels recorded by the analyst since the summer of 2011.

Moreover, the redundant tonnage includes just 12 carrier-controlled ships, of which only three are owned by top 20-ranked lines – APL, CSAV ...