Container carriers had a tough year in 2008 as the effects of the economic downturn wiped out the good times in the trans-Atlantic trades. Demand for transport crumbled and this year the container fleet is set to grow by more than 13% - leaving owners to face the depressed outlook depicted in Figure 1. But 2009 has progressed far enough now for some bright points to appear on the horizon. New, more complex transport systems will lead to more shipments of empty containers, according to Lloyd's Register-Fairplay Research. And as the market is largely supply-driven, this means the gap between demand and supply in Figure 1 seems larger than it will be.
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