News / There's a 'window of opportunity” for container lines to delay newbuild deliveries

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Container lines should follow the example of Maersk Line and negotiate deferring new vessel deliveries.

Analyst Drewry says that with 1.6m teu of newbuild capacity scheduled for delivery this year, it would help counter the industry’s chronic over-tonnage.

“To ensure that the nascent recovery of the market is not scuppered, carriers need to smooth the supply-side pressures as much as possible, by deferring new ships and scrapping more existing units,” it said.

And with shipyard orderbooks virtually empty, Drewry says there is a “window of opportunity” to push back the dates, ...