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Perishable sector fears reefer box shortage will persist in 2018
来源： 编辑：编辑部 发布：2018/03/02 10:15:00
THE perishable logistics chain fears a shortage of refrigerated containers will persist in what is regarded as still another year of recovery, reports Rotterdam's Fresh Plaza.
There is little equipment, which calls for greater intermodal access to relocate reefer boxes quickly from excess sites to places they are needed, said the report.
"Opinions are divided as to who is responsible. Some say industry consolidation is the culprit; others point to the financial woes of the sector."
Still others blame "the decisions of each shipping company regarding whether the equipment will be bought or leased," which is how Robert Sappio, CEO of New Jersey's SeaCube Containers, puts it.
Therefore, it seems that the different investment philosophies and company strategies have shaped the playing field. Weak financial results affecting the industry as a whole have not helped either.
In 2017, the first "good year" was recorded since 2010. There was a period in between when the results were weak, which forced shipowners to make drastic decisions about where and how to invest their capital, and little was spent on reefer containers, said the report.
In the last decade, the combined industry produced more than 200,000 TEU a year of refrigerated equipment. However, in 2015, trade in perishable goods fell two per cent worldwide, reaching close to 144.4 million tonnes.
The shortage of reefer containers has also been the result of a change in the refrigerated cargo industry, which has been migrating from specialised ships to "normal" container vessels.
The market rebounded in 2016, with a growth of about 3.5 per cent, and it is expected to continue growing, with a four per cent increase in 2017. In 2016, barely 114,000 TEU of refrigerated capacity were produced, followed by 160,000-180,000 TEU in 2017.
The biggest orders of reefer boxes came from Hapag-Lloyd with 21,600 TEU or 11,400 units, including 1,000 with controlled atmosphere technology. Then comes MOL with 4,200 TEU or 2,200 units, including 2,000 with controlled atmosphere technology.
China International Marine Containers (CIMC) and Maersk Container Industry (MCI) are the main manufacturers.
Shipping consolidation also played an important role. Big losses, and the Hanjin's bankruptcy, forced companies to scale up their operations through alliances, mergers and acquisitions.
By April 2018, the world's fleet will belong to five major consolidated shipping companies, plus MSC and Evergreen, which operate independently. The seven owners handle a reefer container fleet of 1,780,000 TEU, while the capacity is 3,320,000 TEU; about 1.9 times the amount of containers available.
There is little equipment, which calls for greater intermodal access to relocate reefer boxes quickly from excess sites to places they are needed, said the report.
"Opinions are divided as to who is responsible. Some say industry consolidation is the culprit; others point to the financial woes of the sector."
Still others blame "the decisions of each shipping company regarding whether the equipment will be bought or leased," which is how Robert Sappio, CEO of New Jersey's SeaCube Containers, puts it.
Therefore, it seems that the different investment philosophies and company strategies have shaped the playing field. Weak financial results affecting the industry as a whole have not helped either.
In 2017, the first "good year" was recorded since 2010. There was a period in between when the results were weak, which forced shipowners to make drastic decisions about where and how to invest their capital, and little was spent on reefer containers, said the report.
In the last decade, the combined industry produced more than 200,000 TEU a year of refrigerated equipment. However, in 2015, trade in perishable goods fell two per cent worldwide, reaching close to 144.4 million tonnes.
The shortage of reefer containers has also been the result of a change in the refrigerated cargo industry, which has been migrating from specialised ships to "normal" container vessels.
The market rebounded in 2016, with a growth of about 3.5 per cent, and it is expected to continue growing, with a four per cent increase in 2017. In 2016, barely 114,000 TEU of refrigerated capacity were produced, followed by 160,000-180,000 TEU in 2017.
The biggest orders of reefer boxes came from Hapag-Lloyd with 21,600 TEU or 11,400 units, including 1,000 with controlled atmosphere technology. Then comes MOL with 4,200 TEU or 2,200 units, including 2,000 with controlled atmosphere technology.
China International Marine Containers (CIMC) and Maersk Container Industry (MCI) are the main manufacturers.
Shipping consolidation also played an important role. Big losses, and the Hanjin's bankruptcy, forced companies to scale up their operations through alliances, mergers and acquisitions.
By April 2018, the world's fleet will belong to five major consolidated shipping companies, plus MSC and Evergreen, which operate independently. The seven owners handle a reefer container fleet of 1,780,000 TEU, while the capacity is 3,320,000 TEU; about 1.9 times the amount of containers available.