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Liners travel slower than ever

According to the report, classic “Panamaxes” now only travel at just under 15 knots. (Photo: iStock)

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by Michael Hollman

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Press

May 22, 2023

According to an evaluation by the Peter Döhle shipping company, the speeds in container liner shipping have fallen to a new low. The experts cite the new emission regulations for ships that have been in force since the beginning of the year as the reason for this. With the so-called "Carbon Intensity Indicator" of the IMO, a grading procedure in relation to the CO2 efficiency of ships was introduced. The carbon dioxide emissions are measured in grams per tdw (ton deadweight) and per nautical mile traveled. The criteria for grading on a scale from A (very good) to E (poor) are also becoming stricter from year to year.

According to the study, which Döhle presents in its "Maritime Overview" report for business partners, the average speed was reduced the most for large ships from around 7,500 TEU capacity - by more than one knot compared to last autumn (September/October). now 15.6 knots. In the smaller ship classes, the carriers throttled the average cruising speed by more than half a knot during the study period, as reported. According to this, classic "Panamaxes" (4,000 TEU) now only travel at just under 15 knots, 2,500 TEU freighters only 14.3 knots.

Even in the early phase of the corona pandemic, travel speeds in all segments never dropped so low, "although a third of the world was in lockdown and container traffic came to an almost complete standstill," emphasize the experts in their report. The cuts are a clear indication that the liner shipping companies are taking the implementation of the new emission regulations "very seriously" and are apparently striving for the best possible "CII ratings". According to the IMO, shipping companies should aim for at least a “C” rating on the CII scale, with CO2 efficiency reference curves varying from ship type to ship type. The main means to an end is a reduction in driving speeds, both at peak and on average.

According to Döhle, the effects on the available capacity in liner shipping are already considerable. According to the calculations, the "productivity" of the entire container ship fleet should have fallen by 5.1 percent compared to six months ago due to the slowdown. Compared to the peak of the Corona boom in September 2021, the decline in performance and thus in effective transport capacity was as much as 9.1 percent. Accordingly, the speed adjustments make a significant contribution to keeping the utilization rates in container shipping high despite the slump in cargo volumes last autumn.