Containers

20ft containers are not nearing extinction: Drewry

Following a contraction in output of newbuild 20ft shipping containers in 2021, ordering has recovered strongly this year, and contrary to popular opinion UK consultancy Drewry expects its share of the global container equipment fleet to remain above 25% for the foreseeable future.

Although the standard 20ft dry freight container has seen its share of the global equipment pool decline over the past decade, Drewry said in a new report it believes its role in the fleet is secure.

In the first eight months of the year manufacturers based in China, which account for over 96% of global output, produced close to 500,000 teu, which was up almost 64% year-on-year and 35% on the corresponding period in 2020. Drewry expects output for the full year to total at least 900,000 teu, up from just below 560,000 teu in 2021.

Drewry expects the 20ft container’s share of the fleet to remain stable over the next five years with the unit accounting for at least 26% of standard dry containers in service.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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