Container ship demolitions at historic lows

 

As of mid-2025, less than 4,000 TEU of total capacity has been scrapped worldwide. If this pace continues through the second half of the year, 2025 will mark the lowest annual total of TEU scrapped in two decades, says an Alphaliner report.

During the first half of the year, seven container ships, averaging about 500 TEU per vessel, were sent to scrapyards.

While 2022 still holds the record for the fewest vessels demolished (only five), the total TEU removed from the market that year was roughly three times higher than in 2025 so far.

The average age of vessels scrapped in 2025 stands at 28 years, higher than the two-decade average of around 26 years, the report added.

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