- Idle fleet reached a historic low in 2023, averaging just 0.7% of the total cellular container fleet.
- Global fleet capacity has surged nearly 30% since 2020, but most vessels remain actively used.
- Demand pressures, including the Red Sea crisis, have driven high utilization.
At less than 1%, the idle fleet of cellular container ships reached an all-time low from January to October. The Red Sea crisis heightened demand for vessels, pushing carriers to deploy nearly all available ships to manage diversions and surging demand, reports Alphaliner on LinkedIn.
Commercially-Idle Tonnage Falls Below 1%
Alphaliner data shows an average of 0.7% idle fleet in 2023, lower than the 0.9% seen during COVID-19 years in 2021 and 2022.
This year’s low idle rate reflects increased reliance on vessels amid global disruptions.
Expansion in Fleet Size
The cellular container fleet grew from 23.7 million TEU in October 2020 to 30.6 million TEU today, a substantial 30% increase in capacity over four years. Despite this growth, active fleet utilization remains exceptionally high.
In the first ten months of 2023, 99.3% of the fleet was either commercially employed or in non-commercial service for repairs, maintenance, or conversions, indicating unprecedented fleet utilization.
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Source: Alphaliner on LinkedIn
