Ships sold in the secondhand market so far this year have already exceeded the annual S&P figure of 2011.
According to Clarkson Research, 1,097 ships (50.1m dwt) have met new owners so far this year compared to 1,082 vessels (50.7m dwt) for the whole of last year.
However, the total value of ships sold so far this year is $12bn, 35% lower than $18.5bn in the whole of 2011.
The difference seems to have been caused by a dramatic fall in ship prices amid ongoing global shipping slump.