THE concentration of growth on intra-Asian trade lanes, compared to the mainlane east west routes in recent years, has led shipping lines to increase intra-Asian capacity, with Chinese companies playing a leading role, says Clarkson, the London shipbroker.

China has shown itself to be a major if not the leading player in this trend, with its container exports to the US and Europe having only posted one per cent annual growth since 2008 against its trade with ASEAN economies, which has increased 10 per cent over the same period.

One reason has been the rapid economic development in many Asian countries and another is the more numerous locations of manufacturing which have developed in recent years, said Clarkson analysts.

In 2012, intra-Asian trade increased seven per cent year on year to 42 million TEU, up 32 per cent compared to 2007 volumes. In comparison, east-west trades have yet to recover with volumes in 2012 still down 0.4 per cent compared to those in 2007.

"By the end of November 2013, almost 1.4 million TEU of nominal containership capacity was deployed on intra-Asian trades, nearly double that deployed at end 2007," said the Clarkson report.

During this time, Chinese capacity deployed on intra-Asian trades has also risen. Chinese operators deployed capacity of 350,000 TEU, up from 100,000 TEU at the end of 2007, increasing its share from 15 per cent at the end of 2007 to 25 per cent by December this year, Clarkson analysts said.

Over the last seven years, Chinese liner capacity has doubled, and a growing proportion has been deployed on intra-Asian trades. By the end of 2012, 23 per cent of Chinese operated capacity was intra-Asian against 11 per cent in 2007.

"For example, intra-Asian capacity deployed by Qingdao-based SITC has risen from 45 ships of 41,500 TEU a year ago to 54 ships of 54,000 TEU at the end of November, or 80 per cent of its deployed capacity," said the report.

Cosco and China Shipping have also increased intra-Asian deployment, the analysts noted. The two companies account for 57 per cent of Chinese intra-Asian capacity, and appear to transport ship most of China's domestic container trade, a significant part of intra-Asian trade. At the start of 2013, more than 13 per cent, or 170,000 million TEU of their total was intra-Asian trades, up from five per cent in 2007.

"The increasing trade between Asian economies and continued growth in Chinese demand for consumer goods mean that prospects for further growth in intra-Asian trade remains positive. Given the positive dynamics in the region, intra-Asian trades are likely to continue to play a key role in global deployment trends," said the Clarkson report.