The global containership orderbook is closing in on 13m TEU, but carriers are increasingly ordering smaller vessels, according to new data from Alphaliner. The consultancy reports that the cellular containership orderbook now stands at 12.98m TEU across 1,592 vessels, equivalent to 38.3% of the existing fleet currently in service.
While the orderbook remains historically large following record contracting activity in recent years, the profile of new orders has changed dramatically. Since July 2025, around 74% of all orders have been for ships below 6,500 TEU, compared with less than 30% during the preceding 12-month period, according to Alphaliner.
The shift follows a wave of post-pandemic ordering that was dominated by neo-panamax and megamax vessels as carriers sought economies of scale on major east-west trades and fought for market share. Now, however, operators are increasingly focusing on regional and feeder markets where ageing fleets and growing cargo volumes are creating demand for replacement tonnage.
Vessel Class Breakdown
Alphaliner notes strong ordering activity across several vessel classes. The table below summarises the key categories:
| Vessel Class (TEU) | Order Activity |
|---|---|
| 1,200 feeders | Strong unspecified number |
| 1,800 Bangkokmax | Nearly 150 ships ordered over the past year |
| ~3,100 TEU | More than 100 vessels contracted |
| 5,000–6,500 TEU | Remain particularly popular |
The move towards smaller vessels has continued throughout 2026. Despite 329 ships being ordered during the first half of the year, representing 1.89m TEU of additional capacity, the second quarter is expected to close without a single order for a mainline vessel above 16,000 TEU — something not seen since early 2024, Alphaliner reports.
Implications for Operators
Despite the trend toward smaller ships, Alphaliner cautions that the overall orderbook remains heavily weighted towards larger vessels due to the huge volume of megaship orders placed in 2023 and 2024. Once those vessels are delivered, capacity in the 18,000+ TEU segment will have almost doubled compared to today.
At the smaller end of the market, the consultancy argues that ordering activity still falls short of replacement needs. The current sub-6,500 TEU orderbook does not yet match the capacity of vessels approaching 25 years of age, suggesting further feeder and regional ship orders are likely in the years ahead. Freight forwarders and logistics managers planning feeder and regional services should monitor vessel availability closely, as aging tonnage retirements could tighten capacity on intra-regional and short-sea lanes.
Watch List
- Megaship deliveries: Once the 2023–2024 megaship orders are delivered, the 18,000+ TEU segment capacity could nearly double, potentially reshaping mainline trade dynamics.
- Feeder replacement gap: The sub-6,500 TEU orderbook still lags behind the aging fleet, which may lead to further ordering or capacity constraints on regional routes.
- Orderbook trend continuation: With Q1 2026 showing 329 orders and Q2 seeing no mainline vessel orders above 16,000 TEU, the shift toward smaller ships may persist.
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