July 26, 2010: At a time when many experts are not convinced that container shipping is really out of the woods,container capacity is being added to the world fleet. According to Paris-based Alphaliner, a record 200,000 TEU will be added in July , after 747,000 TEUs were delivered in the first half. Total new capacity deliveries in the first seven months of 2010 will hit around 950,000 TEUs or 7.3% of the global fleet. It is estimated that 1.45 million TEUs will be delivered during 2010. Alphaliner predicts that the full-year scrapping will be less than 200,000 TEUs for 2010, against 377,000 TEUs in 2009. It is estimated that the full-year overall capacity increase, together with lower scrapping levels, will reach 9.6%. The return of idle ships to operation has already brought back 1.24 million TEU capacity since the beginning of January. The trend has led to a rise in asset prices as each new deal brings new highs and the expectation is that container rates will regain historic levels. Yet all this could prove to be counter-productive should the recovery stall and the world faces a longer period of sluggish growth. Source: The Hindu Business Line