Sail the seas aboard a container ship: a little-known and very exclusive way of traveling

A trip like those of before, in which to enjoy the authentic experience of crossing the ocean, its unique smells and its unpredictable temperament. That is precisely what transoceanic travel aboard a freighter offers. A little-known and very exclusive travel modality, solo 1% of the world’s container ships accept passengers and can accommodate about 12 people.

those willing to pay between 90 and almost 135 euros per day, they can become sea lions for weeks, or even months, depending on how long the journey takes. Passengers usually stay in official cabins, without the comforts of a luxury cruise, but with what is necessary for the journey. They also have access to an entertainment room filled with books, a CD player and ping pong tables. During the trip, passengers are required to participate in the day-to-day duties of a container ship.

A small group of agents specializing in freight ship travel has emerged around this type of travel. It is a small business with annual income of less than 5 million eurosAccording to Hamish Jamieson, founder of Freighter Travel, Business Insider. Nothing comparable to the 30 million euros a day that most shipping companies earn. In 2019, the number of people who contracted a trip aboard a freighter did not reach 4,000according to travel agency estimates.

The pandemic has fully impacted freighter travel. The traditional passenger cruise business was one of the first hotbeds of the pandemic, with numerous outbreaks forcing operations to be suspended, and freighters were no exception. In March 2020, most cargo ship operators prohibited the entry of passengers, in an attempt to protect their crews from Covid-19. Two years later, freighters have still not relaxed these restrictions.

At first, freighter travel agencies responded to this situation by refunding tickets or holding passenger deposits in the hope of rebooking later. However, in 2021 the picture did not change and, for the time being, almost none of the big shipping companies venture to offer trips on their cargo ships.

Despite this, smaller shipping companies such as Langsamreisen and Hamburg-Frachtschiffreisen, the freighter travel arm of travel agency ATPI Hamburg, plan to resume operations in the spring or early summer. ATPI Hamburg, in particular, already has places reserved on cargo ships that will travel from Germany to Iceland and from the United States to South America in March, according to what is published The Wall Street Journal.

What shipping companies expect in 2022

For the cruise industry, the pandemic and the slowdown in activities that it caused a drop in passengers of 81% between 2019 and 2020as well as the loss of half of jobs in the industry and a 59% drop in the contribution to the world economy, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in its latest report.

Since activity resumed in July 2020, CLIA carriers have welcomed more than 6 million passengers. Looking ahead to 2022, they hope to recover their entire fleet. In terms of passenger volume, they expect to return to 2019 levels between the end of this year and next.

Some figures that support the observations of the members of the sector. Last summer, Norwegian Cruise Line insured Business Insider what there is a pent-up demand and an eagerness to return to the sea.