Containership scrapping increases to 200,000 TEU in first half of 2012

CONTAINERSHIP scrapping is increasing this year with 120 vessels, totalling 200,000 TEU scheduled for the breakers in the first six months of the year with more than half equating to one per cent of the global fleet.

Braemar Seascope, a London shipbroker, reports the surge in scrapping of 38 vessels in the first three of months of 2012 after a quiet year of 50 recycled ships averaging 3,000 TEU.

The lull in 2011 was attributed to owners and carriers buoyed by year-previous profits and against a heavy couple of years of scrapping between 2009 and 2010.

Of the vessels scrapped the youngest were over a decade old of the 1997-build and 1999-build and the oldest were 42 years old - the 182-TEU Abdul H.