Cars Transported by Sea up 5% in '17
Clarksons Research on the oceangoing car carrier sector finds that 20.5 million cars were expected to be traded by sea in 2017, up by 5% year-on-year. Further Clarksons found that the overall global car carrier fleet was expected to grow slowly in full year 2017, to 781 vessels or 3.96 million car equivalent capacity. The current car carrier orderbook is at 6% of the fleet in capacity terms and $2.1 billion in contract value; 63% of capacity owned by top ten owners; and charter rates still under pressure but recently recording limited improvements.