In the first half of 2013, new order intakes of global shipbuilding industry recorded a combined 48m dwt (749 vessels of 16.70m cgt), increased by 64% from the same period of a year ago.
Amid newbuilding prices staying at a historic low, new orders for eco-friendly and high efficiency vessels started to grow. According to Clarkson’s data, new order intakes for three general commercial ships, including bulker, tanker and containership, saw notable recovery against the previous year.
Global new order intakes for bulker recorded a total of 23.60m dwt (272 vessels of a combined 5.30m cgt) in the first half of the year, approaching the annual order intakes recorded from 2012, or 25.50m dwt.
By vessel size, Capesize and Panamax (in the range of 65-100K) posted 67 and 35 vessels, each, while Handymax (40-65K) and Handysize recorded 100 and 70 units, respectively. Particularly, Capesize greatly exceeded its annual order intakes of the previous year, or 39 vessels.
During the same period, new orders contracted for tanker, as well, were calculated to be a total of 12.50m dwt (132 vessels, 3.20m cgt), already close to its annual order intakes recorded from last year, or 13.60m dwt.
By vessel size, they are; 13 VLCCs, one Suezmax, 38 Aframaxes, 68 MR PCs (30-60K), 12 special chemical tankers and so on.
Particularly, medium-to-large sized tankers saw small increases in new orders, such as VLCC, Aframax and etc., while MR PC continued having its large contract trend following last year.
New order intakes for containership turned out to be 90 units in total during the same period, having already surpassed 74 vessels, or the annual order intakes of last year.
Specifically, large containership above 8,000 teu range recorded 53 units while medium-range one and small size below 3,000 teu recorded 16 and 21 units, respectively. Especially, large-sized boxship saw sharply expanded new orders against a year ago when 21 vessels were contracted.    
Meanwhile, new orders in offshore sector, such as drillship, FPSO, Offshore Supply Vessel and so on, saw just 123 units placed (1.10m cgt), greatly falling short of last year’s record, or 383 vessels of a combined 4.10m cgt.
As for new orders for LNG carrier and LPG carrier during the same period, there recorded 23 and 27 units, each, continuing a stable contract movement following last year when the former recorded 36 and the latter, 53 vessels. In terms of LPG carrier, large size vessels have been heavily ordered.