The global container-building industry has just completed one of its most productive years, with new box output soaring to a record high during 2003. Total production was expected to top 2.2 million TEU of all container types, beating the previous record of 1.93 million TEU, achieved in 2000, by over 10%. It was also up by 30% on the 1.7 million TEU built in 2,002 and 70% up on the 2001 output of 1.28 million TEU. Demand has held up strongly throughout much of the past year, including during the traditionally weak fourth quarter, prompting some manufacturers to add extra capacity. As a result, more container plants have been under construction in 2003 than at any time in the preceding five years. The latest global output includes two million TEU of maritime dry freight box equipment, practically all of which is of standard 20ft, 40ft or 40ft high-cube size. A further 123,000TEU was maritime (integral) reefer, 12,000TEU tank and 70,000TEU of 'regional' construction, comprising either European pal-let-wide/swapbody or US domestic containers. All these size-types were constructed in greater quantities in 2003 than during 2002.
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