Despite the fact that oversupply has been the key plague of the shipping markets in recent years and newbuilding ordering activity has receded substantially as a result, a new weekly report from Clarkson Hellas suggests that shipyards in the Far East have resisted any significant drop in newbuilding prices for the past six months. "However, it remains to be seen whether increased levels of enquiry can outweigh sluggish charter  rates and an oversupplied market to begin to push newbuilding pricing upwards. Away from the shipping market, shipyards have also had to account for a steady increase in the price of steel since September last year, which has inevitably placed further pressure on the yards to achieve an increased margin for new contracts", the report said.
According to Clarkson Hellas, "looking at the Dry Bulk market, a number of previously rumoured orders have now come to light, including Fredriksen interests boosting their already significant Capesize orderbook. Understood to have been signed last month, SWS received an order for a further 4 x 180k Capesize vessels from Clients of Frontline with pricing understood to be in the region of USD 47 Mill with delivery of all four vessels in 2015. This brings the total Frontline Capesize orders to 8 firm vessels plus two sets of options for a further 4+2 vessels. Another order thought to have been concluded last month also emerged this week with Clients of Oceanbulk Maritime contracting 2 + 2 80,000 DWT Kamsarmax at Japan Marine United (JMU). Although pricing is undisclosed, delivery of the firm vessels is planned from Q1 2014. The total number of reported Capesize orders, excluding options, now comes close to 30 vessels, and considering further orders understood to be currently under discussion, the total Capesize orders placed in this first quarter look likely to exceed the total number placed throughout the whole of 2012", Clarkson Hellas concluded
In a separate report, shipbroker Golden Destiny said that "in the newbuilding market, the first days of March ended with firm emerged newbuilding bulk carrier business in Japanese yards in all vessel sizes and strong ordering interest for capesize vessels. Oshima Shipbuilding reported to have won an order for ultramax and panamax bulk carriers, while Tsuneishi Cebu in Philippines gained orders in the kamasarmax, supramax and handymax size. In addition, new established Japanese shipyard, Japan Marine United, is said to have sealed capesize orders from Greek players" it said. Golden Destiny added that "overall, the week closed with 40 fresh orders reported worldwide at a total deadweight of 2,649,536 tons, posting 167% week-on-week increase from previous week with significant higher volume of contracts in the bulk carrier segment, up by 1600% week-on-week with a total of 23 new contracts. In the offshore segment, the newbuilding business was very quite loosing their first ranking position from bulk carriers. This week’s total newbuilding business is almost at similar levels from similar week’s closing in 2012, when 43 fresh orders had been reported, 17 for bulkers, 2 for tankers, 7 for gas tankers, 6 for containers, 3 passenger/cruise and 8 special projects. In terms of invested capital, the total amount of money invested is estimated in the region of about more than $1,13bn, 13 newbuilding contracts reported at an undisclosed contract price. A hefty amount of money was invested in the bulk carrier segment, due to high volume of contracts in the capesize segment, by holding of more than 36% of the total amount of money invested in new contracts" it said.
"In the capesize segment, OceanBulk Maritime is said to have placed an order for two 180,000dwt vessels and Carras Hellas also another two similar vessels at Japan Marine United. The newbuilding cost has not revealed but it is estimated in the region of $46mil. In addition, Norwegian Frontline 2012 is said to have inked a letter of intent with Jiangsu New Yangzijiang for the construction of up to six 180,000dwt vessels, 4 with option 2 units, but price and delivery dates have not been disclosed. Furthermore, Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubish HI won an order from China Steel Express of Taiwan for two 200,000dwt capesize bulkers to be built at its Nagasaki yard. The delivery of these vessels is scheduled for second half 2014 and first half 2015, while the newbuilding cost is estimated in the region of $52,5per vessel. In the kamsarmax segment, Oceanbulk of Greece also confirmed ordering two kamsarmax vessels at Japan Marine United for delivery in 2014.
In the tanker segment, Croatia’s shipyard 3 Maj has signed a letter of intent with the Swedish shipping company Wisby Tankers to build six tankers for the transport of crude and oil products, according to the local business news portal SEEBiz. In the aframax segment, Scorpio Tankers sealed a contract for the construction of two 114,000dwt eco product tankers at Hyundai Samho HI of South Korea for delivery in the third quarter of 2014 at a newbuilding cost of $49,75mil each. The contract includes fixed price option for the construction of two additional LR2 vessels. In the gas tanker segment, China Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard won an order for the construction of two LPG carriers from Norwegian owner, IM Skaugen, for delivery June and December 2015 at a newbuilding cost of about $46mil each. The contract includes an option of two more vessels and they will be the first LPG carriers to be built by SWS yard. The vessels will have gas capacity of 17,000cum and will be powered by LNG and carry ethylene. In addition, Brave Maritime is said to have signed a contract for the construction of two 7,200cbm pressurized LPG vessels at Japan’s Kyokuyo Shipyard for delivery in the first half of 2014 at a newbuilding cost of $22mil each.
In the Ro-Ro segment, Croatian shipowner Jadrolinija has awarded the construction of its four 616 passenger, 145-vehicle ro-ros to local shipbuilder Uljanik Shipyard with delivery in 2014 at a newbuilding cost of $42mil each" Golden Destiny concluded.