MANILA, Philippines — Ships capable of hauling 4,000 cars across the world’s oceans may make the most money next year since the global recession as production reaches a record and demand from emerging markets swells cargoes.

Shipments will rise 10 percent to 12.7 million vehicles in 2012, more than twice the fleet’s expansion, according to ABG Sundal Collier ASA, an investment bank in Oslo. Rates for the 550-foot vessels will gain 36 percent to $15,000 a day, RS Platou Markets AS estimates. Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA, Europe’s biggest owner of the ships, will boost profit for at least two more years, analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg show.

Global car sales will rise 8.5 percent to 80.7 million in 2012, according to researcher JD Power & Associates. Demand is being led by developing nations, which will expand 6.1 percent next year, compared with 1.9 percent for advanced economies, the International Monetary Fund predicts. For owners of car carriers, that means profit at a time when freighters hauling commodities are losing money.

“Who’s buying cars? That’s Brazil, that’s Russia, that’s India, that’s China,” said Ole Stenhagen, an analyst at SEB Enskilda AS in Oslo, whose recommendations on shipping companies would have returned 71 percent for investors over the past three years. “As long as you’ve got fleet growth under control, you’re set for a significant increase over the next three to five years.”

Car carriers will earn an average of $11,000 a day this year and next year’s projected rates would be the highest since 2008, according to Platou. They’ll advance another 20 percent to $18,000 in 2013, the Oslo-based investment bank estimates.

Capesizes, the largest ships hauling iron ore, on average made $12,906 a day this year, below their breakeven of about $20,000, according to data from the London-based Baltic Exchange, which publishes assessments for more than 50 maritime routes. Forward freight agreements, traded by brokers and used to bet on future costs, anticipate rates no higher than $18,575 through 2016.

The largest oil tankers averaged $7,867 a day this year on the Saudi Arabia-to-Japan route, the industry’s benchmark, Baltic Exchange data show. Frontline Ltd., the biggest operator of the vessels, says it needs $29,800 to break even. FFAs indicate rates no higher than $10,475 through 2013.

Returns on ore and oil vessels slumped because of a glut of carriers after rates that were as much as eight times higher in 2008 spurred owners to order new ships.