CONTAINER TRADES STATISTICS LTD

Our mission

Data is important to businesses. It helps to improve processes, develop strategies and make more informed decisions. Our mission at CTS is to produce gold standard industry wide data and be the first choice of those needing information about the global container shipping industry. Whether you are a shipping line, a logistics operator or a shipper; a consultancy, an analyst or a bank, we aim to deliver insights into the global container shipping world in a way that wasn't possible before.

Our story

Container Trades Statistics Ltd (CTS) has been producing quality TEU volume and price index data since 2008 following the demise of the liner conference system in Europe.

First, as a fully owned subsidiary of the European Liner Affairs Association (ELAA), the liner shipping industry’s lobby organisation in Brussels, our role was to manage the data services provided to its members. In 2010, we became independent when ELAA closed and we were appointed data service provider to the newly incorporated World Liner Data Limited (WLDL) that succeeded the ELAA.

WLDL is a not-for-profit company whose members include the top global container shipping lines. It collects its members’ TEU liftings and pricing data globally and makes it available to them and third parties. The web-based statistics database is owned by the member lines through WLDL and we manage it on WLDL’s behalf capturing and cleaning input data, compiling and producing aggregated data and reports for its members and, as WLDL’s agent, selling data to the general public. Our trade volume reports are based on the data contributed by WLDL members. On trades where non WLDL member carriers are active we estimate the missing volume using various sources and techniques to reach an estimated total trade figure. On the flagship Far East to Europe trade our reports are currently based on 100% contributed data.