According to a new report from Alphaliner, the global container fleet capacity has exceeded the 32 million TEU mark for the first time. Since May 2024 alone, the growth has amounted to 8.9%, and over the past two years – almost 20%. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, the cumulative increase has reached 36%, which indicates an unprecedented dynamics of fleet expansion.
The main increase in capacity is observed on the routes between Asia and Europe – a result of instability in the Red Sea, which forced shipping companies to massively change courses around Africa. This redistribution of vessels increased the load on alternative routes and affected the overall geography of logistics.
The fastest growing markets were Latin America, India and the Middle East, where the growth rate of container shipping over the past two years has significantly outpaced the industry average. These regions continue to attract investment from shipping operators and strengthen their position in the global supply chain.