RS Platou Markets forecasts the global shipping recovery -- in the tanker, bulker and boxship sectors -- has been delayed by another year into 2014 on weak demand.
“On the positive side, fleet growth has now peaked and will slow sharply the next two years. This will support a revival of shipping markets eventually,” says RS Platou report.
“The demand side has weakened and this means the recovery has been pushed out in time by approximately one year for most segments,” the report says.
Meanwhile, in the LNG carrier segment, RS Platou expects utilisation levels to stay in the 90% range this year and next, but by 2014 it could decline to 89%.
It explains that fleet growth has been growing at 4%-5%, but by 2014 the influx of newbuilding tonnage is set to see growth levels leap to 10%.