Bringing in a New Generation of Ships

When the shipping industry first started, ships were much smaller and as a result less powerful and much slower than the ships we see today. As the world market grew, overseas container shipping became more prevalent and the need for larger ships grew as well. Now it seems every 10 years or so, we see a new generation of ships led by one of the larger companies like Maersk line or CGM and the new generation becomes the new standard to strive for in steamships. The trouble with this is that the ports are not always going to be able to handle these larger ships and all that they present to the shipping industry. After all, it is not just the ships that need to be bigger.

Recently the port hub Jebel Ali has announced that they have a new plan in place to build up the port and get ready for the larger ships. This means, larger docking space, larger storage areas and over all space renovations for the port. This is a huge commitment for an already large and important hub port which shows that there is already a projected need for these larger ships. Beyond space issues at the port, there are other parts that will need to change as a result of a new class of ships. Although these larger ships can hold additional cargo shipping containers and are both energy efficient and have better technology, the question remains: can they be filled and still have weekly sailings and other promoted amenities? Hopefully with vessel sharing and NVOCC’s on board, these ships will be able become an asset to the industry.