The number of cellular container vessels scrapped in 2025 was the lowest in twenty years, with only twelve ships for a total capacity of 8,172 TEU recycled and another three small units sold that have yet to be demolished.
This was well below the already weak 2024, which saw 95,607 TEU scrapped and a far cry from the record of the decade, 655,000 TEU achieved in 2016.
The healthy container shipping market, with a high demand for tonnage and robust charter rates throughout the year, have explained in great part shipowners’ reluctance to dispose of their older tonnage, preferring instead to make the most of the lucrative trading environment.
Demolition sales included mostly small ships, with ten of the twelve vessels scrapped being below 1,000 TEU capacity, as per Alphaliner.
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