Leading shipping lines have warned there could be a shortage of containers to service Asia during the coming peak export season, such has been the recovery in global demand.
Maersk Line and OOCL have claimed a 23 per cent increase on last year's trade in channels between Asia and Europe could see them unable to meet demand, as firms were expecting single-figure growth.
The recovery follows the worst slump in container shipping history, a fall of around 10 per cent in 2009, the Financial Times reported.
'We already see a very tight equipment situation,' said Maersk Line's Lars Reno Jakobsen.
'We expect an even more pronounced and serious shortage of containers in the coming months as we enter the peak season.'
Maersk Line has ordered new containers, is leasing others and has also put laid up ships back into rotation to transport containers back to Asia.
Managing director of corporate planning for OOCL, CL Ting, agreed that Asian exporters may have trouble due to the shortage.
'Equipment shortages certainly will have an impact on booking acceptance in the months ahead, should trade volume stay strong,' he said.
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