Eye-popping numbers from a New York Times story about how cargo ships are just waiting outside of ports for business — any business. Check it:
- Number of ships currently crowding the sea around the Singapore harbour: 735
- Number of ships in the entire Spanish Armada: 130
- Cost to charter a large bulk freighter last year: $300,000
- Cost now: $25,000
- Earlier this year: $10,000
- Cost to ship a 40-foot steel container from China to Europe a year ago: $1,400 plus fuel
- Cost now: $300
- Cost earlier this year: $150
- Total tonnage at Singapore right now: approximately 41 million tons
- Total merchant tonnage in the whole world at the end of WWII: approximately 41 million tons
- Percentage of the world’s shipping fleet that’s parked at Singapore right now: 4
Wow.
Grant Hamilton
3 Responses to “Cargo ships sit empty, waiting for economy to rebound”
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Cheap prices. Makes me wish I had a bunch of crap to ship to Europe. Maybe I’ll clean out the garage this weekend after all.
Personally, I’d like to buy a couple of shipping containers — I think with some welding and what-not, they’d make killer post-apocalyptic style cottages. And, frankly, couldn’t cottage country use a little Mad Max?
or, oh my god, I just thought: Ship OURSELVES to Europe! I mean, how many people do you think you could fit in a shipping container, if you didn’t pack ‘em in illegal-immigration style? Maybe eight or so? Pop some bunk beds in there, add some rations and a TV. Hook up a portable bike to some lights, and you’re good as gold!