The container charter market is closing 2025 on a clearly bullish note. Demand remains strong across all vessel sizes, with charter rates holding at very healthy levels and showing little sign of softening.
With no meaningful slowdown expected into year-end, 2025 is shaping up as the strongest year the charter market has seen outside of the post-COVID cargo boom.
This performance comes despite a challenging backdrop. US tariffs, port fees, Middle East tensions, the war in Ukraine, falling freight rates, and uninterrupted newbuilding deliveries all tested market resilience
Cape of Good Hope diversions proved a key support factor. Longer voyages between Asia and the Atlantic basin absorbed capacity and helped keep otherwise surplus tonnage employed.
Cargo volumes also exceeded expectations, particularly on North-South and regional trades, further limiting overcapacity risks.
Tonnage availability stayed extremely tight throughout the year. Alphaliner currently counts just two unemployed container ships worldwide, while commercially idle tonnage remains at record lows.
Looking ahead, 2026 is expected to bring a broad return of container traffic through the Suez Canal.
Short-term disruption could temporarily support demand. Over the longer term, shorter sailing distances combined with 1.4 Mteu of new deliveries may push the market toward oversupply.
Without another year of strong cargo growth, both freight and charter rates could come under sustained pressure.
Source: Alphaliner
