Container sale and purchase deals surged again in the first half of 2024, as carriers and NOOs reacted to the red-hot charter and freight markets.
After a slump in transactions in H2 2023, over 0.5 Mteu of tonnage changed hands in H1 2024. Carriers sought every available ship to meet the demands of the extended trip around the Cape of Good Hope and maintain lucrative service schedules.
Some 141 ships of 572,600 teu were bought and sold between January and June, an average of 23 units per month. This compared to an average of 15 sales per month in the second half of 2023.
Despite increased freight rates post-September , there was no immediate reaction in the second hand market, due to believing the crisis to be short-term. The lack of quick solution changed hearts.
Source: Alphaliner
