Ship owners have returned to shipyards for a fresh batch of newbuilding ordering, although the overall activity is not that brisk, quite the opposite. According to the latest weekly report from Clarkson Hellas, "further to last week's VLCC orders at HHI, China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) are reported to have ordered three plus three 320,000 DWT VLCCs at SWS for a price in the region USD 84‐85 Mill and delivery from end of 2014. In the products sector, Clients of Metrostar Management have contracted six firm plus four option MR tankers from SPP in Korea for delivery again from end of 2014.
These vessels replace a previous order for four 3,600 TEU container vessels originally placed by Metrostar in 2010. Clients of Stena meanwhile are reported to have declared the 7th and 8th options in their series of 50,000 DWT chemical parcel tankers at GSI with a price believed to be in the region of USD 38 Mill per vessel and delivery set for these latest units from the end of 2015. They are understood to still hold an additional two options for further vessels with the yard. There has been significant activity in the container market led by an order for five option five 14,000 TEU vessels from Seaspan Corporation at HHI. Delivery for the firm vessels is planned for within 2015 and all the vessels have a reported price tag in the lower USD 100 Mills. These Vessels will be chartered to Yang Ming Lines for a 10+2 years. HMD, have signed to build one plus one x gearless 1,000 TEU ships, with the first Vessel set for 1H 2014 delivery for Clients of Nam Sung Shipping. The price is understood to be around USD 17.5 Mill be Vessels, which whilst does set a new lower benchmark, we are led to believe that the ship is for a repeat or an older design to take advantage of the early delivery berth. In other sectors, Evergas have placed an order at Qidong Dajiang Shipbuilding for four 30,000 cbm LNG/Ethylene/LPG vessels for deliver in 2015. Finally, Hoegh Autoliners have reportedly placed an order for three 8,500 unit car carriers with Xiamen Shipbuilding for delivery in 2015" Clarkson Hellas said.
In a separate report, Golden Destiny said that overall, the week closed with 30 fresh orders reported worldwide at a total deadweight of 2,252,500 tons, posting a 33 % week-onweek decline from previous week due to a 900% decline in contracting activity for bulk carriers and 1800% downfall in the demand for the construction of special projects. In the gas tanker segment, there has been a remarkable 700% week-on-week increase from strong LNG orders placed at South Korean Shipyards, while in the container segment the massive postpanax order from Seaspan lifted the weekly contracting activity by 600%. This week’s total newbuilding business is up by 131% from similar week’s closing in 2012, when 13 fresh orders had been reported, 2 for bulkers, 6 for tankers, 1 gas tanker and 4 special projects. In terms of invested capital, the total amount of money invested is estimated in the region of more than $2,25bn, 17 newbuidling deals reported at an undisclosed contract price, with a hefty amount invested in the offshore segment from the placement of a contract in Chinese yard, CIMC’s Yantai Raffles for two semisubmersible drilling rigs from Frigstad Deepwater of Cyprus at a total cost of $1,3bn" said the shipbroker.
It added that "in the bulk carrier segment, Ultrabulk of Denmark will build kamsarmax vessel of 81,000 dwt in Tsuneishi yard of Japan and it would charter the vessel for up to 13 years upon its delivery at end-2014. In the handysize segment, Canadian CanForNav has order four 36,000dwt vessels in Yangfan yard of China, an eco design with an option for two more vessels.
In the tanker segment, China Merchant Energy is said to have now ordered three very large crude carriers with an option of three more at CSSC Jiangnan shipyard. The first very large crude carrier is scheduled to be delivered at the end of 2014 and the other two in the first and third quarter of 2015. In addition, US listed -Nordic American Tankers is under the process of ordering two suezmax tankers in Samsung Heavy Industries of South Korea for delivery from late 2014 at an expected cost of about $56-$57mil each, including option for further units.
In the product segment, Stena Bulk of Sweden has declared an option for two more sophisticated vessels of 50,000dwt for construction at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) for its vegoil activities, extending the series to eight sister vessels from its initial order of six vessels placed in May 2012. The newbuilding cost is estimated in the region of $40mil each with delivery in late 2015" Golden Destiny said.
The shipbroker's report also noted that "in the gas tanker segment, Bonny Gas of Nigeria has reached an agreement with South Korean shipyards for the construction of six 170,000 cum LNG carriers, four will be built in Samsung and two in Hyundai for delivery in 2015-2016. In addition, Spore-based BW Maritime has signed a contract with Samsung Heavy Industries of South Korea for the construction of a LNG floating storage regacification unit of 170,000 cbm at an undisclosed contract price with delivery in 2015. A company official stated in Fairplay: “We are not strangers to the LNG business. We want to increase LNG activities as this is our strategy going forward.” BW noted that it has a good relationship with South Korean shipbuilders and that it chose Samsung, the second-biggest among South Korea’s yard groups, because it offered an attractive proposition. “SHI also has a proven track record in delivering LNG vessels to some of the world’s biggest LNG players,” it added. “BW has been investing in the LPG and LNG sectors. In the last 18 months, we have had six LPG acquisitions, and we ordered two LNG carrier newbuildings,” BW explained. The Singaporean owner declines to reveal either the price of the newbuilding or future employment of the vessel.
In the container segment, Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea has won the order for five 14,000 TEU containerships, including an option for five more, for Canadian shipowner Seaspan to be chartered on a long term contract with Taiwan’s Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. The order is valued at about $600mil and vessels will be delivered from the beginning of 2015. The ships will measure 368m in length, 51m in width and 30m in depth, HHI said. The vessels will have electronically controlled main engines for fuel efficiency and HiBallast seawater treatment systems, HHI added".