Covid-19 has caused cruiseship scrapping to near the volume of deliveries as asset values plummeted in 2020, setting the sector up for the lowest annual fleet growth in years.

Cruiseship owners sent nine vessels to scrapyards this year in an effort to offset billions of dollars in losses, while taking in only 12 newbuilding deliveries, according to VesselsValue.

By comparison, they scrapped one ship in 2019 but accepted 24 new vessels.