MORE accustomed to getting hand-me-downs from other routes, local services are beginning to see a modest share of the more than three million TEU of newbuildings due for delivery in 2024.
While the focus of the 11% growth in global fleet capacity is mostly on ships in the 15,000-24,000 TEU bracket carriers and non-operating owners are now receiving replacements for ships in smaller segments, with the new tonnage offering higher container intake on smaller dimensions, greater fuel efficiency and substantially improved emission control.
ANL has completed the re-tonnaging of its four-ship contribution to the A3 consortium’s A3N loop, with the arrival of the 6014 TEU CMA CGM Etosha, a sister to the previously introduced CMA CGM Baikal and CMA CGM Zingaro, and the slightly older 5920 TEU CMA CGM Fjordland.
ANL has also introduced the newbuilding 2954 Olympic Bay to its AAX-W service and the one year old 1096 TEU ANL Kiwi Trader to its ANZ Shuttle.
Maersk Line has replaced the 22-yo Maersk Gairloch with the 3600 TEU newbuilding Maersk Yellowstone in its WAC service, and placed the 2024-completed 5,920 TEU Maersk Fredericia in the Dragon service. A sister of the latter, Maersk Fortaleza, is currently operating in Southern Star.
Earlier this year Taiwan’s TS Lines allocated the 2954 TEU sisters TS Chennai (2023) and TS Colombo (2024) to the CA2 service, although the latter is being replaced by the larger TS Sydney from the CAT service. In turn, TS Sydney will be replaced in CAT by the newbuilding 7092 TEU TS Hong Kong.
The latter is of the SDARI Sealion 7000 design and another of this class, the just-delivered ONE Reputation, is due to replace the 20-yo Conti Annapurna as the Ocean Network Express contribution to the AU1 (AAX-S/GAC/SAL) loop.
Even MSC, noted purveyors of ‘classic’ tonnage, placed the Fujian Mawei newbuilding 3,700 TEU MSC Nurya G in the now-ending Kiwi Express this year This is a compact semi-open-top design that features a forward hold (two bays) with hatch covers and four open-top holds (eight bays) ahead of the deck house, as well as two bays on deck aft. Located atop the propeller and steering gear, the aft bays do not have any holds under deck. The ship has now been transferred to the revived Wallaby service.
According to BIMCO another two million TEU of capacity is expected in 2025 and while lower than 2024 and 2023 will still be the third highest on record.
