14% new capacity for Top 20 carriers

As a percentage of the global liner fleet, their overall share has risen from 79% to 83%, as the large carriers’ capacity additions outpaced the overall increase in liner capacity. Total liner capacity (both cellular and non-cellular vessels) grew by 8.6% in 2010, reaching 14.8m teu by 1 January 2011, with the total cellular fleet standing at 4,849 ships or 14,270,000 teu, up 9.1% in nominal capacity terms compared to 12 months ago.

Over the same period the carriers also reduced their idle capacity, from 740,000 teu or 6.9% of their operated capacity at 1 January 2010, to only 136,000 teu currently, representing 1.1% of these carriers’ operated fleet.

According to Alphaliner, over the last 12 months 18 of the carriers increased their operated capacity, with only NYK and “K” Line logging a decline. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) recorded the largest increase, adding 375,000 teu to its fleet, a 25% increase, although in relative terms the strongest gains were made by CSAV, with a 74% growth over the same period from 333,000 teu to 579,000 teu currently.