- Far East–Europe Trade Absorbs 31% of New Capacity.
- Far East–Europe Route Sees 40.8% Growth in Two Years.
- 24.4% of Global Fleet Now Serves Far East–Europe.
Over the last year, the global container fleet has grown by 8.9%, now boasting a total capacity of 32.1 million TEU (Mteu). During this time, a notable 2.62 Mteu of new slots were added, showcasing ongoing investments in fleet expansion, even amidst market fluctuations, reports Alphaliner on LinkedIn.
Far East–Europe Remains the Dominant Trade Lane
The Europe–Far East trade route continues to lead the pack in global liner activity. This corridor has taken in most of the newly added capacity, with vessel deployment on this route increasing by 11.7% compared to last year. In total, 817,000 TEU slots—accounting for 31% of the global fleet growth since May 2024- were allocated to this trade alone.
When we look at the numbers from May 2023, capacity on the Far East–Europe route has skyrocketed by 40.8%. This significant rise is mainly due to the ongoing Red Sea crisis, which has compelled carriers to reroute ships via the Cape of Good Hope, extending voyages and necessitating more vessels to keep up with service frequency.
Far East–Europe Share of Global Fleet Rises
In just two years, an extra 2.26 Mteu of capacity has been added to this vital route, bringing the total fleet operating between the Far East and Europe to 7.8 Mteu. This now represents 24.4% of the global container fleet, up from 20.8% two years ago, solidifying its status as the largest liner trade in the world.
Latin America Trades Show Highest Growth Rate
While the Far East–Europe route leads in volume, services related to Latin America have shown the highest growth rate percentage-wise. Over the past year, 606,500 TEU slots were added, resulting in a 15.6% increase, significantly above the global average. As of last month, 14% of the world’s container fleet was operating on Latin American routes, highlighting the region’s growing significance in global shipping.
Did you subscribe to our daily Newsletter?
It’s Free Click here to Subscribe!
Source: Alphaliner on LinkedIn
