A Covid-induced shortage of containers due to slow box turnaround has prompted Hapag-Lloyd to step up investment in its container fleet since today it needs significantly more than the normal number of boxes to carry the same volume of cargo.
The line has ordered 150 000 TEUs from China – both dry boxes and state-of-the-art reefer containers. Some of the boxes have already been delivered and have been integrated into its existing container fleet, but the majority are expected to be delivered in coming months. Additionally, the line has ordered 8 000 TEUs of special containers to be used for oversized or dangerous goods.
“The container shipping industry is currently seeing unprecedented demand, which has led to a shortage of containers all over the world. With its recent container orders, Hapag-Lloyd is contributing to efforts to ease the current shortage,” says CEO Rolf Habben Jansen.
The investments amount to roughly US$ 550 million – making it one of the biggest container orders in the history of the line.
