Maersk and CMA CGM orders push container fleet orderbook to 45%
The orderbook-to-current fleet ratio for the global container fleet reached a new high of 45% after Maersk placed a mega order and CMA CGM added more vessels. This surge in ordered capacity comes as container shipping’s earnings have been driven mainly by disruptions such as the Red Sea Houthi attacks that began in December 2023, rather than by growth in trade volumes.
The article notes that the current rally in container shipping and air freight earnings stems from capacity being in the wrong places, not from increased global buying and shipping. It explains that disruption, not volume growth, has become the primary earnings driver for the sector. The open question raised is how long this disruption‑driven earnings boost will last once the specific shocks, like the Red Sea attacks, begin to fade. The piece also notes that the orderbook increase reflects a broader trend of carriers ordering new ships amid uncertain demand.
What we know
Maersk mega order and CMA CGM push containership orderbook ratio to 45%
The orderbook-to-current fleet ratio of the global container fleet has hit a new high after ...
Container shipping’s disruption began in earnest in December 2023, when Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea ...
The earnings driving this year’s rally in container shipping and air cargo have more to do with capacity trapped in the wrong place than with how much the world is buying and shipping.
Disruption, not volume growth, has become the main earnings driver.