Tank Container Fleet: Leasing stalls, shipper-owned tanks rebound

At the start of the year, the survey estimates that the fleet experienced a growth rate of 3.96 per cent, reaching a total of 882,023 tanks, compared to 848,400 in 2024.

The robust growth rate observed since 2021 has been succeeded by a gradual decline over the past two years, dropping from 5.81 per cent to 3.96 per cent. This slowdown can be attributed to the downturn in the global chemical sector. This trend is notably evident in new tank container manufacturing, alongside the substantial number of new tank containers that have been deployed since 2022 and 2023.

Major tank container operators and leasing companies continue to dominate the global industry. According to the survey data, both operators’ and lessors’ fleets are still experiencing growth, albeit at a slower pace. Specifically, the growth of lessors’ fleets has been marginal and nearly stagnant. In contrast, the total fleet owned and leased by shippers and other entities has exhibited a different trend in recent years. Following a surge in 2022, this segment saw a decline over the next two years, but in 2024, it rebounded to levels comparable to those of 2022.

The gathered data reveals that the top 10 operators control over 301,750 tanks, accounting for nearly 50 per cent of the global tank container fleet, which totals 619,741 tanks. Leading the pack is the British company Stolt Tank Containers, which holds 52,200 units and has experienced a 2.6 per cent increase compared to the previous year. In contrast, the German Hoyer Group has seen a slight decrease of 0.2 per cent in its fleet size. Newport and China Railway Logistics, ranked 3rd and 5th respectively, reported no changes in their quantities. Similarly, Bulkhaul and Intermodal Tank Transport, in 7th and 9th places, also showed no variation. The Swiss company Bertschi Group, ranked 4th, achieved the highest growth among the top 10 with an increase of 6.6 per cent. Both Den Hartogh and Eway reported approximately 5% growth in their volumes. Despite a decline of about 10 per cent, NRS Ocean Logistics, which focuses on sustainability, has managed to retain its 10th position.

The top 10 lessors control a total of 322,733 tanks, which represents approximately 84 per cent of the overall leasing fleet of 381,781 tanks. The American company EXSIF Worldwide maintains its position as the leader, benefiting from a significant advantage in fleet size. The French firm Eurotainer has not experienced any changes in its ranking or volume. Similarly, Singaporean companies Seaco Global and Raffles Lease, ranked 3rd and 5th respectively, also reported no changes. In 4th place, CS Leasing demonstrated a more aggressive approach with a growth rate of 6.2 per cent. Dutch companies Trifleet Leasing and Peacock Container, occupying the 6th and 7th positions, reported growth rates of 3.1 per cent and 4.9 per cent, respectively. Triton International is the only company among the top 10 lessors to report a decline, with a negative growth of 5.9 per cent. In contrast, American International Equipment Leasing achieved an impressive annual growth rate of 7 per cent, marking the highest increase among the top 10.

At the start of 2025, the number of idle tank containers within the lessors’ fleet reached 57,268 units. In this expanding industry, the expectation is that the number of idle units will continue to decline. Using the figures from 2020 as a baseline, the number of idle units had been steadily decreasing until 2023. However, following the pandemic, fluctuations in chemical demand and various geopolitical events led to a significant increase in idle tank containers in 2024.

(The article was written by Ned Li, a maritime data and analytics professional with 20 years of experience, holding a Master of Science in Maritime and Transport Management and a Master of Technology in Business Analytics.)