Source : HKSG

Lay-ups rise 10.4pc as peak season fades into winter doldrums

THE number of laid up containerships increased 10.4 per cent in a fortnight, according to the latest Alphaliner survey, which showed 568 ships were idle,

aggregating 1.35 million TEU as of October 12 from the 548 idle vessels, totalling 1.29 million TEU, noted two weeks earlier.

The Paris-based agency said laid up fleet is now the biggest ever. Apart from ships in the 1,000-TEU - 2,000 TEU range

(7,500-TEU plus sized ships lay-up rate remained steady), all sizes showed increases in idling during the two-week period.

Alphaliner also reported that the raft of service cutbacks by major carriers had an impact. Yet idle ships from non-operating owners and active carriers

alike continued to rise as the peak season faded and ships ended rotations as seasonal demand dried up