Container shortage pushes up prices

The severe shortage of
containers over the past year
has seen container prices
reach an all-time high,
according to Warren Jacobs,
sales manager of Almar
Container Group.
“And this is true for both
new and used containers,”
said Jacobs. “High utilisation,
leading to severe global
shortages, has seen pricing
of second hand equipment
closing in on the price of
building new containers.”
So much so that in the
last quarter it has become
more advantageous to buy
new containers. “It is for this
reason that Almar is investing
in new containers.”
The company has always
had leasing and trading
of containers as its core
business. With offices in
South Africa, Dubai, India
and Brazil, Almar is able
to provide a full range of
flexible international and
domestic container sale and
lease solutions across a wide
range of equipment, said
Jacobs.
“Containers are and will
always be a critical cog in the
freight industry. The sale and
modification of them will also
continue to play a vital role
in meeting the requirements
of the growing number of
domestic and project-related
container requirements,” said
Jacobs.
Fluctuating world trade
conditions have a major
impact on container prices
and the forecast slow-down
now being experienced is
likely to result in the stability
of prices and even a small
decline.
“Forecasting the changes
is difficult, but reacting
and adapting to the changes
quickly becomes critical, and
often these changes open up
windows of opportunity,” he
told FTW.
Over the years Almar’s
container product offering
has grown to meet the needs
of its customers and Almar
now offers a diverse range
of containerised products
for mining, exploration,
oil extraction, natural gas
projects as well as various
domestic applications.