Inactive Containership Fleet Surpasses 1 Million TEU, Alphaliner Reports

New data from Alphaliner shows the inactive containership fleet has once again surpassed 1 million TEU.

The global fleet of inactive containerships has experienced significant growth in recent weeks, with a rise in both the number of commercially idled vessels and ships entering repair yards, according to the lastest survey by Alphaliner.

The survey reveals that the capacity marked as inactive reached 315 ships, totaling 1.18 million TEU as of October 9. This marks the first time the inactive fleet has surpassed the 1 million TEU mark since late May.

The majority of ships in the inactive fleet, 186 units or approximately 60%, are marked as being in repair yards, where as 129 units are considered idled.

Compared to the previous survey conducted on September 25, there has been a net addition of 44 ships representing 233,504 TEU, boosted by the idling of several large ships.

As a result, the proportion of inactive capacity rose to 4.3% of the total containership fleet as of October 9, up from 3.4% two weeks earlier, according to Alphaliner’s survey.

The rise in the inactive container fleet has coincided with a period of very low cargo demand in the first quarter. The inactive fleet reached its peak in February at 1.68 million TEU, representing 6.4% of the cellular container fleet at that time.

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Sign Up