The continued frontloading of U.S. imports — following the apparent postponement of reciprocal tariffs — is expected to keep the Container Shipping fleet busy in the coming weeks.
As of the end of June, the number of commercially idle ships stood at just 65 units, totaling 161,295 TEU, or 0.5% of the total fleet.
Notably, no ships over 18,000 TEU were idled, and only eight ships in the 5,000–18,000 TEU range were out of action for commercial reasons.
Importers are likely to continue advancing shipments as the tariff situation evolves.
Over the past fortnight, smaller vessels remained the primary targets for commercial idling. Sub-1,000 TEU units accounted for 45% of the total by number, while vessels in the 1,001–3,000 TEU category made up another 37%.
The number of ships in yards also rose slightly, reaching 161 ships with a combined capacity of 755,184 TEU, up from 146 ships and 697,434 TEU in mid-June.
Source: Alphaliner
