Long-term agreements accounted for the majority of the latest reported containership charter fixtures, according to the June edition of DynaLiners Monthly.
The latest market update recorded 31 containership fixtures involving vessels larger than 1,000 TEU. A total of 22 fixtures were concluded for periods exceeding 22 months, while 15 were reported as extensions. By comparison, only nine fixtures covered periods below 12 months.
The figures point to a charter market where operators continue to prioritise longer-term capacity coverage and vessel continuity.
More than two-thirds of fixtures exceed 22 months
A review of the latest reported containership charter fixtures shows a clear preference for longer charter periods.
According to the DynaLiners Monthly data, 22 of the 31 reported fixtures were concluded for periods exceeding 22 months. As a result, more than two-thirds of all reported transactions fell into the long-term category.
Several agreements extended well beyond the two-year mark. OOCL secured the 2,900 TEU Bright Tsubaki for 30-36 months and the 2,200 TEU Frida Russ for 30-33 months. Meanwhile, SES Line fixed the 2,200 TEU Long Xiang Tian Cheng for 36 months, representing the longest reported charter period in the dataset.
In addition, charterers concluded numerous agreements in the 23-25 month and 24-month range, reinforcing the trend towards longer-term commitments.
Extensions remain a major feature of the market
Another notable finding is the significant number of contract extensions.
The latest DynaLiners Monthly report recorded 15 extensions out of 31 reported fixtures. Consequently, almost half of all reported transactions involved the continuation of existing charter arrangements rather than new agreements.
Several major operators appeared in extension-related fixtures, including CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping Lines, Evergreen, Global Feeder Shipping, Interasia Lines, OOCL and ZIM.
As a result, extensions continue to play an important role in the containership charter market, reflecting efforts by charterers to retain access to proven tonnage and secure operational stability.
Short-term fixtures remain limited
While long-term agreements dominated the latest containership charter fixtures, short-term activity represented a much smaller share of the market.
Only nine reported fixtures covered periods below 12 months. These included agreements ranging from two to three months, three to four months and eight to ten months.
Therefore, the latest data suggests that charterers continue to favour visibility and capacity security over shorter-term arrangements.
Charter rates exceed US$50,000 per day
The latest DynaLiners Monthly update also included several high-value fixtures.
The highest reported rate involved the 3,900 TEU Pearlton Thrive, which Global Feeder Shipping fixed for 24 months at US$52,500 per day.
Meanwhile, PIL chartered the 6,100 TEU BZ Chongfu for 24 months at US$50,000 per day. CMA CGM also secured the 3,000 TEU Celsius Emmen at US$45,000 per day, although that fixture covered a significantly shorter period of two to three months.
These fixtures demonstrate that charterers continue to pay substantial premiums for available tonnage across selected vessel segments.
Charterers continue to prioritise long-term coverage
Overall, the latest DynaLiners Monthly data points to a clear preference for longer charter commitments.
With 22 of the 31 reported fixtures extending beyond 22 months and 15 transactions reported as extensions, charterers continue to secure vessel capacity for extended periods rather than rely on shorter arrangements.
Consequently, the latest containership charter fixtures suggest that long-term coverage remains the preferred strategy across both feeder and larger vessel classes.
