Early in the study the extremely pertinent point is made that the only real constant in liner shipping is change and it states: “After a spectacular wave of acquisitions in 2005 and the following integration pains in 2006 the carriers involved took a – relatively short – breather to prepare for the next dazzling step: the almost relentless ordering of Ultra Large Container Ships (monsters of over 10,000 teu), more than 150 units in less than six months, or more precisely between May and September 2007.”

Clearly Dynamar feels that this surge in orders for 10,000 teu+ vessels raises some key issues. Against a background of the reality that it is the Asia-Europe trade lane which is presently the key trade lane absorbing new capacity (with other main arterial routes such as those across the Pacific relatively flat at present) it offers as food for thought what will happen if the Far East-North Europe trade lane continues to be the main “blotting paper” for this new capacity. “This specific trade lane will be populated with 22 individual strings deploying vessels with an average capacity of 12,500 teu by 2012,” it says. And to put this in perspective it notes:

- The ships in those 22 services lined up end-to-end would stretch for some 68 km, and

- They will provide a one-way annual capacity of 14.3m teu.

The other very interesting observation that Dynamar makes is that the shore infrastructure has to react to the introduction of these very large vessels, but in reality there is little coordination between their introduction and the delivery of the right capacity on the shore side. It is in effect largely a question of reaction and catching up on the shore side.

The opening issues that this new study identifies are very valid and reflect the overall quality of the publication which, however, ultimately saves its best analysis for the review each of the participants in the Top 25 Liner Operator “club.”

New features of Top 25 Container Liner Operators/Trading Profiles contained in the 2007 edition include:
- A graphic-based, easy to view, overview of all the links between main trading areas offered by each company.
- An assessment of those carriers trading on a global basis.
- A carrier/capacity ratio assessment, providing an insight into the relationship between the growth of carryings and capacity.

Fully updated features of the study comprise details of:

- Existing TEU capacity and the orderbook – full container carryings – container fleet size – East-West market shares by liftings – and overview of Carrier/Capacity ratios – actual global carriers.

- Carrier profiles – legal profiles – five-year capacity/ranking – corporate background – service developments since the previous report – container ship fleet and operating capacity – trade lanes and markets – container terminal involvement – brief summaries of other operating activities – membership of carrier groups.

- East-West Alliances – market capacity shares and analyses.

- A comprehensive list of named North-South consortia.

- A survey of Conferences, Discussion Agreements and other carrier groupings.

The reviews of individual shipping lines include details of the line’s ranking, contact data, corporate history and background, service developments, container ship fleet and operating capacity, trade lanes and markets, other operating activities, container terminal operations, consortia – alliances – conferences – agreements and affiliated companies.

Top 25 Container Liner Operators/Trading Profiles is available at a price of €355 in pdf format via email or at a price of €375 in colour printed format via surface mail. The publication can be obtained in both formats for a price of €420.

Copies can be ordered via the PS Web site www.portstrategy.com.