OAmid tightening ship financing and poor shipping market, S&P activity for shipping market becomes stagnant, while growing spending on E&P boosts sale and purchase activity in offshore market.
According to Clarkson Research, S&P orders for offshore sector, during the first six months of 2012, increased by 20%, around 72 offshore units/vessels having contracted, comparing with 119 contracted in the whole 2011.
Among offshore support vessels smaller PSVs (below 3,000-dwt) have witnessed the largest increase, with 17 changing hands in the period, which already exceeds  12 of those traded in the whole of 2011.
During the same period, large anchor handler sales rose significantly with the 10 vessels over 8,000 bhp sold as well, up by 18% year-on-year.