The average age of merchant ships in the world has exceeded 20 years, and the safety risks have increased? 

According to Alphaliner, a French consultancy,20 percent of the world's freighters are over 20 years old. It is estimated that 1,200 of the 5,890 ships in service are at least 20 years old, almost 2.9 million TEUs.

Nearly 25 percent of the world's container ships over 20 years old are owned by MSC. MSC has 212 ships with a capacity of 718,000 TEUs.The second largest tonnage owner is Maersk, with 48 ships over 20 years old, followed by Evergreen Shipping, with 36 ships. 

The service life of a cargo ship may vary depending on many factors, including maintenance, materials used in construction and operating conditions. A cargo ship can generally maintain seaworthiness for 25 to 30 years. 

Even with proper maintenance, an aging cargo ship will still face problems affecting its seaworthiness and crew safety. For example, corrosion will weaken the hull, and worn mechanical components will lead to hull failure.

Due to economic and environmental factors, many old ships are still sailing, and a large number of old ships still have the ability to transport goods. However, the risks related to aging ships cannot be ignored. Industry stakeholders must make efforts to better protect seafarers and the environment, phase out old ships and use more modern and efficient new ships. 

全球商船平均船龄已超20年，安全风险增加？

       日前，法国咨询公司Alphaliner表示，全球20%的货轮船龄超过20年。据估计，在5890船现役船只中，有1200船船的船龄至少为20年，大约290万标准箱。

       全球20年以上的集装箱船中，有近25%归MSC所有。MSC拥有212艘船，运力为718,000标准箱。第二大吨位船东是马士基，拥有48艘船的船龄为20年以上。其次是长荣海运，拥有36艘船。

       货船的使用寿命可能取决于许多因素，包括维护、建造中使用的材料和操作条件。一艘货船一般可以保持25到30年的适航性。

      即使有适当的维护，老化的货船仍然会面临影响其适航性和船员安全的问题。例如，腐蚀会削弱船体，磨损的机械部件会导致船体故障。

       由于经济和环境因素，许多旧船仍在航行，大量旧船依然有运输货物的能力，但老化船舶的相关风险仍不容忽视，行业利益相关者必须为更好地保护海员与环境做努力，逐步淘汰旧船并使用更现代化且更高效的新船。