Inactive boxship fleet dips below 1m teu for the first time this year, charter market booming

The inactive containership fleet has dipped below the 1m teu mark for the first time this year, as carriers resumed a number of suspended transpacific and Asia-Europe services.

Alphaliner data shows the inactive boxship fleet stood at 223 ships totalling 969,000 teu as of August 17, accounting for 4.1% of the total containerships fleet. These numbers mark a decrease of 586,959 teu in comparison to the previous Alphaliner count in early August.

The buoyant times being recorded by most liners have also translated into a massively improved containership chartering market.

The Alphaliner charter rate index recorded a 35% jump in one month.

“The index is on its way to recover the ground lost since the COVID-19 pandemic started to impact cargo demand and henceforth ship demand,” Alphaliner noted in its most recent weekly report.