Splash247: Containership orderbook marches toward 40% of fleet

Published by Splash247

The containership orderbook to fleet ratio has reached a new post-2010 high of 39%, according to data from consultancy Linerlytica with the total order backlog of 1,630 ships for 13.28m teu. 

“We continue to see firm projects in both the mid-size and larger segments, with a number of expected to firm up before the summer holidays,” Danish broker MB Shiprokers noted in its latest container markets weekly report. 

Clarksons Research data shows there have already been 332 containerships ordered in the opening five months of 2026, placing this year close to 2025’s record haul of 750 ships. Alphaliner data, meanwhile, reveals that the heaviest delivery year will be 2029.

The sustained strength of the container market is prompting shipowners to reach beyond the orderbook for solutions, with plans now underway to convert at least two supramax bulk carriers into cellular container vessels of around 2,500 teu, according to Alphaliner.

The vessels earmarked for conversion are Diamond 53 type open-hatch supramaxes, primarily built between 2005 and 2011 by CSSC Chengxi Shipyard at Jiangyin, China. Their double-hulled, open-hatch design makes them among the more practical candidates for conversion, Alphaliner said, requiring relatively straightforward modifications compared with conventional bulk carriers.