According to the German container liner Hapag Lloyd, who spoke with analysts on Wednesday, the global order book for ships, which represents 18% of the fleet of the world, will increase but at a reasonable rate.

"I expect that the 18% which is not a concern, will nudge up, but the delivery windows are very long, so this is not a problem," Rolf Habben Jansen said, CEO of the firm, which is ranked fifth in the world by operating tons.

The company's net profit was lower in the first half 2024, but it expected to perform well going forward due to high demand and spot rates. Shipping analysts believe that this could lead to an excessive amount of new orders. (Reporting and editing by Miranda Murray, Vera Eckert)

(source: Reuters)