The Anatomy of Shipping Cycles: What History Can Tell Us About Tomorrow’s Market

Predict fleet rotations, avoid overexposure to weakening trades, and prepare to capitalize as conditions improve.

At their core, shipping cycles are driven by the market’s constant struggle to balance vessel supply with global cargo demand – an equilibrium that is rarely sustained. This imbalance stems from a structural mismatch: global trade patterns can shift rapidly, while fleet expansion typically takes years from order to delivery.

Understanding how this pattern plays out in practice requires a closer look at past cycles, and few illustrate the mechanics of boom and bust as vividly as the 2003–2008 ‘Champagne Supercycle.’

Read the Market Insights report to explore:

A look back at the three main shipping cycles from the 1990s onward

An overview of the shipping cycle stages and the typical signs that reveal the current stage

Tools for navigating cycles with a greater degree of foresight and agility

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