Ageing feeder fleet demands greater investment despite rise in smaller boxship orders
- Orders for sub-5,000 teu boxships have been rising since the second quarter, but more investment needed to meet demand for larger ships in intra-regional trades
- Feeder segment remains underrepresented in newbuilding orders, risking future supply shortages
- Despite the rise in smaller boxship orders, the orderbook for ships under 5,000 teu represents just 6.5% of existing fleet
The historic solution of cascading older, larger ships to feeder routes may no longer be viable due to inefficiency and unsuitability
