Ocean carriers face increasing trade and regulatory complexity to go with a volatile global market. However, many are investing in larger, more efficient vessels
The balance of supply and demand for capacity is a tricky objective for ocean car carriers to achieve. For the most part, the leading carriers succeed in their efforts, but it is easy to fall short or overshoot. Tonnage demand is an unpredictable guessing game, influenced by market and regulatory changes. In 2014, for example, supply growth for ro-ro vessels generally exceeded demand, leading to empty space on board. According to Ole Gustav Eriksen, a shipping analyst at RS Platou Group, the average utilisation rate for the global car carrying fleet went from 85.3% in 2013 to 84% this past year (full capacity utilisation is considered to be 90%).