According to Greek shipbroker Golden Destiny, global secondhand transaction activity has soared by 24% in value and 18% in trading volume in the second quarter this year. The transaction volume of bulker, tanker and containership increased by 31%, 44% and 39% respectively in the period. Bulker and tanker accounted for 42% and 33% separately of the total value. Secondhand boxships transactions even soared by 333% in the period.
However, the contract value of the total 555 vessels changed hand fell by 9% year on year to $61.bn in the first six month. Besides, the global investment in secondhand market also dipped by 43% in the period. Comparatively, in H1 of 2011, 610 secondhand ships of $10.7bn were transacted totally.
Chinese owners invested about $1.75bn in secondhand and newbuilding market in H1, of which secondhand sector occupying 9% of global total. Comparatively, Greek owner are keen in secondhand market. Greek owners purchased 83 secondhand ships at a cost of %1.7bn and order 70 new-building vessels at $3.6bn in the period. Greek owners’ investment in secondhand market has accounted for as much as 15% globally.
Compared with last year, China’s investment in secondhand ships declined by 41% in the first quarter and ship purchase activity downsized by 33%.
Globally, 105 secondhand bulkers were reported changing hand in the second quarter, 31% up compared with 85 ships in Q1. In the first six months, global owners invested over $2.5bn in secondhand bulkers sector, falling by 26% year on year.
Secondhand tanker sector witness more decline in transactions in H1. Totally 145 tankers were traded in the period, valued about $1.8bn which declined by 55% against the same period of last year.
The increase of secondhand boxship transactions is the most obvious by 55%. As a result, insiders predict that the main container shipping routes are likely to recover in near future and the low asset value of secondhand containership is likely to attract more investment in the sector.