Considering confirmed terminal expansion projects, the consultant believes that average container terminal utilisation rates across the globe will rise from around 72% in 2006, to 97.5% by 2012. This is based on a forecast surge in global throughput of over 300m teu by 2012, while the amount of additional container capacity committed will only increase by around 160m teu in the 2005-2012 period.

“The situation facing the container shipping industry remains serious, with a deteriorating balance between supply and demand in the container terminal sector in prospect unless more new capacity enhancement projects are rapidly brought on stream,“ said report author Neil Davidson.

“The report demonstrates that the substantial known and confirmed investment programmes being undertaken by the leading global terminal operators and other industry players aren’t enough to prevent an increase in utilisation levels to a critical point.”

In the terminal operator rankings, Hutchison Port Holdings remains top of the class in total container volume terms with just over 60m teu in 2006, but on a equity teu basis it has slipped to third place in the global rankings as a result of it 20% share sale to PSA.