Sammy Ofer's Zodiac has resumed investment into newbuilding car carriers and awarded Japanese shipbuilder Imabari Shipbuilding for two 6,500-ceu pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) due for delivery in 2014.
It seems that Zodiac has decided that now is a good time to invest with decreasing newbuilding price and forecasted recovery in a car-carrier market.
Global orderbook for car carrier is scheduled by 2013 and with recent contract it got longer to 2014. According to Clarksons, delivery for car carrier in 2010 and 2011 stood at 59 vessels and 55 vessels each, while 40 vessels are scheduled for delivery this year, and only three for 2013.
As one of major car-carrier owners Zodiac resumes ordering, new order for car carrier is possibly to grow in the near future.