The ordering of newbuildings has slowed, according to a senior shipping analyst, bringing about a better balance between the supply of containerships and demand.

"The supply side is doing whatever it can to improve the fundamental balance of the container shipping market. During the past three months, the fleet has only grown by 10 ships net of ships being removed," said BIMCO analyst Peter Sand.

"With 79 percent of the newly introduced capacity being ships with a capacity larger than 8,500 TEU, the trend simply continues as in past years. Fewer but larger ships influence the supply side. Size is not everything - it is the only thing, but the benefits can only be reaped if the ships can be utilised at a substantial level," he said in a report on the shipping markets, the IHS Maritime 360 reported.

Mr Sand noted the containership order book is now down to just 426 units, a number not seen since 2003 - the difference, however, is that this time the order book stands at 3.27 million TEU, 50 percent bigger than 12 years ago. The total fleet currently stands at 18.4 million TEU.

"BIMCO estimates a total delivery during 2015 just short of 1.5 million TEU and a demolition activity below the bullish level of 2014; the fleet growth rate is on course for 6.5 percent," he said.