A dearth of medium-sized containerships on the open charter market is hindering shipping companies from launching additional peak-season services and forcing lines to deploy tonnage larger than the markets demand.
A shortage of vessels in the 3,000 teu (20-foot equivalent unit) capacity range has also sent daily charter rates up 10 to 15 per cent in recent weeks.
Member lines in the Grand Alliance - P&O Nedlloyd, Orient Overseas Container Lines (OOCL), NYK, Hapag-Lloyd and Malaysia International Shipping Corp - this week were forced to switch larger 5,500-teu vessels to a newly launched service between China and Europe because of an acute shortage of mid-range vessels the alliance would have preferred.
The 'Loop G' service was scheduled to deploy seven ships in the 2,800 to 3,000 teu range. But al least two of the ships will be 5,500-teu capacity post-panamax vessels.
The switches are being made possible because OOCL has just taken delivery of two 8,063-teu vessels, which will both be deployed on the Asia-Europe trades next month.
A Grand Alliance source said: 'Our original plan was to have vessels around 2,800 to 3,000 teu on the new service, and have it launched by July on a fixed-day weekly basis.
