In a THB report, Tom Todd points out that global demand for new vessels still confront a big gap and shipyards should spare no effort to win more new orders.

According to THB, global order backlog has come up to 3,953 units of 23,250dwt till this July, of which bulker almost accounting for 50% of total tonnage with 1,589 vessels and 12,450dwt. Containerships totaled at 442 vessels of 3,820dwt.

Compared with Asian shipyards which can offer much lower prices for major ship types, German shipyard are more competitive in construction of passenger ships, Ro-Ro and special ships. By this July, German shipyard totally secured new orders for 55 vessels of 1,4m GT, rising by 158 vessels and 44,500GT year on year.

The new orders are mainly from foreign owners and most local owners chose to build new vessels at Asian shipyards. German shipowners ordered 160 vessels in 2012, only 5 of which place in local shipyards.

German owner HS Schiffahrt has recently received an 82,000dwt MPV from a Chinese shipyard and are planning to build more in China. Another owner Krey Schiffahrt has just ordered four 12,550dwt heavy lift ships at a cost of €18.5m.