The significant increase in containership newbuilding orders has brought overcapacity fears back to the market.
With most of the building slots for 2011 and 2012 almost fully booked, owners would turn to 2013 slots, said analyst Alphaliner.
“Scheduled deliveries for 2013 have surged from 380,000 teu a year ago to 1,590,000 teu today and there is still some available shipyard capacity for 2013 deliveries,” Alphaliner said in its weekly report.
The analyst added that 2013 vessel deliveries could exceed 2m teu if all options, letters of intent and intended orders materialise.
“This would mark the highest-ever annual level of containership newbuilding,” it said.
The newbuilding order statistics also revealed a shift in the structure of owners. Among the orders of non-operating owners, the German KGs have lost ground. Historically, KG funds accounted for some 60% of the non-operating owners’ market, but according to Alphaliner their share shrank significantly to 18%.
Now, Greek owners as well as companies from Israel and Norway have taken the lead among the non-operating owners, according to Alphaliner.
Non-operating owners accounted for some 30% of the newbuilding orders since January 2010, while carriers were responsible for the remainder.