With the summer break starting off in the end of this month, there were a number of final newbuilding contracts seen, as shipbuilders and shipowners finalized negotiation. But overall ordering activity is still stagnant and it will continue to be during the summer holidays.
According to Clarksons Hellas, orders for bulker and container/ro-ro, etc., were placed in recent weeks, especially orders for those with newly developed fuel efficient designs stood outstanding. Therefore, shipyards barely make a living with orders for green ship, amid troubled market and tightened ship financing.
Hyundai Heavy Industries has been placed to build the world's largest 10 ultra-large 13,800-teu boxships by Enesel of Greece, which are to be long-term chartered to Evergreen.
Also, Hyundai recently penned orders for three 7,300-ceu (constructed at Hyundai Samho HI) and two 7,400-ceu car carriers from Glovis and Eukor Car Carriers, respectively, while Hyundai Mipo Dockyard contracted two plus two 3,500-ceu Ro-Ros with Greek owner Neptune.
On July 12, Samjin Shipbuilding Industries Korea inked an order for 1+1 36,000-dwt newly developed eco-design bulkers  from Danish owner Ultrabulk and on 18th, STX Offshore & Shipbuilding contracted four 45,000-dwt Con-Ros with Ignazio Messina & C of Italy.
Meanwhile, in China, CSC Jinling Shipyard has signed for four 64,000-dwt energy-efficient bulkers with Australian Clive Palmer Group's Singapore-based shipping subsidiary.
Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group recently signed a letter of intent for two large SPP 50 platform supply vessels and a newbuilding contract for four SPP35 PSVs with SLOK Nigeria.
Particularly, in early of this month, China's Wison Offshore & Marine won an order to supply a newbuild floating LNG regasification unit (LNG-FRU) from VGS Group of the US, while at the beginning of this June, it was awarded contract for the world's first floating LNG liquefaction, regasification and storage unit (LNG-FLRS) by Exmar of Belgium.
Shipbuilding industries are finding their way through recent new order drought with eco-friendly type, specialized vessel and offshore facility/vessel.
Clarkson said the first half of this year has seen more newbuilding investment in offshore market than shipping sector, for the first time. How will it be during the rest of 2012?