Hellas-based ship owners ordered 60% fewer vessels in June, versus the previous month (which set a record for 2013), but even still, the numbers are 111% bigger than June of 2012. This conclusion is derived from Piraeus-based shipbroker Golden Destiny's latest monthly newbuilding report.
According to the shipbroker, Hellenic owners placed orders for a total of 19 newbuildings, with containers holding 53% share of their business. "In June 2012, Greek owners had shown subdued activity in the container segment with only 2 new orders.
In the tanker segment, they keep their appetite towards MR vessels, while in the bulk carrier segment; there were no new orders reported for capesize vessels following May’s levels of 8 new orders. Overall, Greek ordering business is 10% of the total volume of new orders reported during June and appeared to be weaker than Chinese, 16% share- 30 new orders, due to Chinese strong business in the bulk carrier and offshore segment (10 and 11 new orders respectively)", said the shipbroker's report.
But, there can mixed conclusions as well, pending of the ship types. For example, the biggest decrease in monthly ordering activity came in the dry bulk market with just four new orders, a fall of 85% versus the previous month. All Hellenic orders were in the ultramax segment. By contrast, the Chinese ordered 10 dry bulk carriers during June, nine of which were for Ultramaxes and one Panamax vessel. A similar fall of 75% was also evident in Hellenic newbuilding ordering activity for tankers. Golden Destiny reports four new orders, all of which in the MR product tanker segment.
On the other hand, container ship ordering saw an increase of 67% over the previous month, as Hellenic owners contracted 10 new vessels, out of which one was in the sub-panamax, 2 in the large panamax and 7 in the postpanamax segments. The Chinese on the other hand ordered four new container ships, all in the post panamax segment.
Around the world, during June there was an evident softness in the volume of new orders from the excessive highs recorded in the previous two months of April and May. The past month ended with a 19% monthly decline stemmed from lower levels of activity in main vessel segments apart from containers. According to Golden Destiny, "a steep fall is recorded in the tanker segment and the smallest in the container segment. Bulk carriers held the lion share – 35% share against 8.6% share from tankers and 14.6% from containers. The lower volumes of contracting activity in the bulk carrier and tanker segments are driven by weaker activity for capesize and MR/product new orders respectively. In the container segment, there was a notable increase of 28% in the volume of new orders for post panamax vessels" it said.
It added that "overall, 184 new orders are estimated to have been placed at a total deadweight of about 10mil tons and an invested capital of more than $10,2bn, for 86 orders the contract price is not revealed. June’s ordering business is standing at the levels of March 2013, when 188 vessels were recorded on order but there is a firmer appetite in the placement of new contracts for bulk carriers. The volume of ordering business in the bulk carrier segment during June is 22.6% higher than the levels of March. Compared with ordering business in June 2012, there is 30% increase in the volume of new orders with outstanding increases in all main conventional vessel segments, 242% in the bulk carrier, 100% in the tanker, 133% in the liner and 23% in the container", it was stated in the report.
More specifically, in the bulk carrier segment there were 65 new orders, a 11% monthly decrease, while 44 of these orders were with Chinese shipyards. "Chinese yards won a big share from the volume of new orders reported in the ultramax segment. Hot volume of activity in the ultramax segment with 36 new orders from 6 new orders in June 2012. Capesize vessels appeared to be not in the focus of the investors for this month following May’s record high levels as only 4 new orders recorded during June from 19 in May" said the report.
Finally, in the container segment, there were 37 new orders, a 28% monthly increase. As per the report, "the activity is mainly weighted on the post panamax segment with 16 new orders for vessels between 9,000-10,000 TEU and another 16 new orders for vessels of above 10,000TEU. CMA CGM ordered six boxships of 16,000TEU at Samsung Heavy Industries of South Korea and Shanghai Waiqaoqiao Shipbuilding of China. United Arab Shipping Company ordered five boxships of 18,000 TEU and five of 14,000 TEU at Samsung Heavy Industries of South Korea. The ordering business in the post panamax segment is 28% up from May’s levels, whereas in June 2012, there were no new orders recorded".
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide
