VesselBot says fleet averages hide the real emissions gap in container shipping

By AI, Created 4:23 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – VesselBot’s Q1 2026 analysis of 82,212 containership voyages says shipper decisions are being distorted by fleet-wide emissions averages that miss major differences by vessel type, carrier and route. The report argues voyage-level data is now critical as emissions rules tighten and trade flows become more volatile.

Why it matters: - VesselBot says shippers need voyage-level emissions data to judge carrier performance, transportation cost and network choices more accurately. - The report argues fleet averages can misstate the emissions profile of individual shipments. - The findings come as container shipping faces geopolitical disruption, tighter emissions rules and volatile trade flows.

What happened: - VesselBot released its quarterly report, Decoding Maritime Emissions Q1 2026: Efficiency Under Pressure, on May 14, 2026. - The analysis covers 82,212 containership voyages completed by 6,187 container-carrying vessels in Q1 2026. - VesselBot said the report examines emissions performance by vessel size, carrier, age group, trade route and individual carrier.

The details: - Average Well-to-Wake emissions intensity across all Q1 2026 voyages was 208.2 g CO₂e per TEU-km. - Feeder containerships were the only vessel category above that quarterly average, at 266 g CO₂e per TEU-km. - VesselBot said the gap is structural and tied to vessel size, cargo utilization and distance traveled. - NeoPanamax vessels and Very Large Container Ships made up 6.6% of voyages but generated 41.3% of total transport work. - Feeder containerships accounted for 64.5% of voyages but only 27.7% of total transport work. - On the four major fronthaul trades, emissions differences between carriers on the same route were driven mainly by vessel deployment choices, cargo utilization and port-pair combinations rather than speed alone. - Average utilization fell as emissions intensity rose, from 77% on the most efficient voyages to 51% on the least efficient voyages. - The most efficient voyages carried an average of 9,163 TEU, versus a quarterly average of 2,597 TEU.

Between the lines: - The report points to a widening performance gap inside the same carrier and trade structures, not just between companies. - That makes route-level and voyage-level measurement more useful than broad fleet averages for procurement and emissions reporting. - VesselBot’s framing suggests the biggest efficiency gains come from better deployment and load management, not just slower sailing.

What’s next: - VesselBot says voyage-level intelligence is becoming essential for emissions reporting, carrier selection and supply chain resilience. - The company says it is available for media interviews about the report’s findings. - The full report is available as the full report