Drewry's latest annual report on global and international container terminal operators shows that the sector remains dynamic and profitable, but that numerous changes are also taking place, including the challenge of growth on two fronts - in container demand and in ship sizes.
Drewry's latest Container Leasing report shows that the world's fleet of operationally leased containers grew annually by almost 11 percent throughout 2011-12, although a smaller 6.4 percent is being forecast for 2013, in line with the poorer global trade forecast.
Attempts by carriers to tackle the capacity overhang are being undone as new orders for Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) continue to make the headlines, according to Drewry's monthly report, Sea & Air Shipper Insight.
By recently taking charge of the Gwadar port in Pakistan, China has increased its presence in Southern Asia's port sector, much to the concern of the Indian Government.
Managing month-to-month changes to services and schedules is now a constant battle for container operators as they strive to keep the spot market from imploding in the current weak demand environment, according to Drewry's latest Container Forecaster report.
