The race towards naval gigantism has not yet come to an end, but in terms of new orders, both shipowners and non-operating owners are tending to purchase smaller ships.
The consultancy firm Alphaliner has produced a detailed report on this. It highlights how we are witnessing the emergence of a new standard type of containership.
Descendants of the panamax-class vessels that have become obsolete, the new 7,000 TEU ships are currently the most popular. According to the French consultancy firm, 58 have reportedly been ordered.
They will enter the market between 2023 and 2025 and form a new standard class of highly versatile vessels. They will be used on both deep-sea and regional routes, currently congested with feeder ships.
Their compact design fits in very well with the growing need to achieve new economies of scale in terms of environmental pollution and fuel consumption.
In a post published on its Linkedin profile, Alphaliner said that additional ships belonging to this class are expected to join the global fleet over the next few years.
Translation by Giles Foster
