Of the global fleet, some 70% are in use by dedicated tank container operators and logistics companies, while the remaining 30% are operated by chemical producers and other cargo shippers, together with rail organisations, shipping lines, oil companies and military/governmental authorities.
Compiled with the support of ITCO members and based on data provided by tank container owning companies, the ITCO survey gives details of 176 operators of tank containers worldwide. While the operator fleet figure of 265,000 units is, numerically, dominated by global operators such as Stolt, Hoyer, Bulkhaul, Bertschi and Interbulk, the survey reveals an increasing number of regional operators which have been established in recent years. This was also already a key finding in 2013.
A total of 34 leasing companies, with a fleet size of 176,500 units, are listed in the survey. However, as the majority of these tanks are leased to operators or direct to cargo shippers, leasing company tanks (with the exception of units not currently in operation) are not included in the global fleet total.
Growth in the tank container industry is reflected by the number of new containers built. The ITCO survey gives details of 18 manufacturers, who produced a record number of over 42,620 new tanks in 2013 to an estimated value of about US$900 million. That is are 12 percent more than in 2012, a year that also had a record increase in production.