Although this week has seen limited reported ordering, the newbuilding market remains active with on‐going discussion across the majority of conventional sectors and a further tightening of available shipyard capacity for delivery next year.
This was stated by Clarkson Hellas in its latest report, where it noted that "what orders there have been this week have primarily been focussed on the large product tanker sector.
Further to the total of around 25 MR tanker orders reported since the new year, with an additional six 37,000 DWT coated tankers also having been contracted, the larger LR2 orderbook has also now grown by ten vessels this year taking the total orderbook in this sector to 17 vessels", Clarkson Hellas said.
It added that "this week saw Scorpio Tankers announce a continued expansion of their product tanker orderbook with four firm 114,000 DWT LR2 Tankers at Hyundai Samho. Although pricing was undisclosed, delivery is understood to be for the second half of 2014. This brings the owner’s number of orders for LR2s at the yard to a total of six firm vessels.
In addition, Scorpio also confirmed a further two 114,000 DWT LR2 orders at DSME for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2014, which included an unspecified number of options. This continues to expand Scorpio’s orderbook which, including the aforementioned orders, now stands at a total of 33 product tankers.
It is interesting to note that the majority of these orders are due for delivery in 2014 with the exception of one MR due for delivery this year which remains from their last set of orders in the first quarter of 2012. The total number of deliveries in the MR sector now lined up for 2014 is only surpassed by the delivery levels seen in 2008 and 2009" Clarkson Hellas concluded.
Meanwhile, in a separate report, shipbroker Golden Destiny said that "overall, the week closed with 52 fresh orders reported worldwide at a total deadweight of 3,405,324 tons, posting 6% week-on-week increase from previous week, with hot business in bulk carriers and tankers by recording 400% and 800% weekly increase respectively in terms of new orders.
This week’s total newbuilding business is 30% up from similar week’s closing in 2012, when 40 fresh orders had been reported, 14 for bulkers, 1 for tanker, 12 for gas tankers, 2 for containers, 6 for passenger-cruise, 1 Ro-Ro and 4 for special projects.
In terms of invested capital, the total amount of money invested is estimated in the region of more than $1,66 bn, 29 newbuilding contracts reported at an undisclosed contract price. A hefty amount of money was invested in the offshore segment with an invested capital of about $3,7bn by grasping 72% share of the total invested capital through the placement of 12 high value contracts" it said.
It added that "in the bulk carrier segment, Marmaras Navigation of Greek booked its fourth capesize order at Sungdong of South Korea. In addition, Frontline 2012 exercised its option for the construction of more four vessels of 180,000dwt at STX Offshore & Shipbuilding’ s Dalian yard in China, increasing its orders from four to eight with delivery between 2014-2015.
Notable order is reported in the very large ore capesize segment, with Chinese state owned yard, Beihai Shipyard winning a tender for the construction of two firm vessels of 250,000dwt, plus two more units, for China’s Shandong Shipping at a price of about $57mil with delivery in 2015.
In the handymax segment, China Navigation confirmed an order for four more 39,500dwt Bdelta Handysize bulkers at CSSC Chengxi Shipyard in China. This latest order brings the total number of Deltamarin-designed vessels ordered by CNCo to 12.
The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in January 2014. CNCo is holding additional options declarable in 2013.
The energy-efficient Bdelta design offers lower fuel consumption, additional cargo deadweight and greater cargo capacity in comparison to existing designs. The vessels will be deployed in CNCo’s drybulk division, Swire Bulk, and will operate on a worldwide basis. In addition, Chinese shipbuilding group Yangfan has won a new order for up to four Handysize bulkers from French owner Unishipping SAS.
The order is for two plus two, but a change in specification has now increased them from the original 39,650dwt to 40,600dwt. Delivery is scheduled for January and March 2015" Golden Destiny concluded.
Source: Unishipping SAS. Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide
