SunSirs: Record-Breaking! Global Container Ship Orders Surpass 5 Million TEU in 2025

According to statistics from industry analyst Linerlytica, with Hapag-Lloyd's recent order for eight 4,500-TEU vessels in China finalized, global newbuild container ship capacity for 2025 has reached a record 633 vessels totaling 5.08 million TEU. This surpasses the previous historical high of 4.77 million TEU set in 2024.

Furthermore, as shipping lines continue to place orders with Chinese shipyards, global container ship orders for 2025 are expected to grow further.

Container Ship Order Volume by Country/Shipyard

Linerlytica statistics also reveal that Chinese shipyards secured 72% of 2025's container ship orders measured in TEU. Leading shipbroker Braemar further indicates that shipping companies show no signs of slowing their ordering pace at Chinese yards, with the sole constraint currently being the availability of shipbuilding berths.

Following the record-breaking 2025 container ship order volume, global container ship orders have surged to 11.61 million TEU—equivalent to 34.8% of the current global container fleet—further fueling concerns about overcapacity.

Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO, stated: “From a supply-demand balance perspective, we view the scale of container ship orders as concerning, particularly if shipping companies resume Red Sea/Suez Canal routes, which would significantly reduce demand for container vessels. We anticipate a supply-exceeding-demand situation in the container shipping market for the next five years.”

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