With most Asian Holidays now a thing of the past, it was only natural that activity in the newbuilding ordering market returned back to normal levels. According to the latest report from Clarkson Hellas, there further reports of business this week and the market continues to deliver a steady stream of enquiry and concluded business. The shipbroker said that "there remains a continued drive of investment into Dry, with speculators taking advantage of a relative stability in values over the last 12 months or so ‐adding credibility to current market levels and a view that we are firmly at the bottom of the market. With berths now being absorbed through 2014 and into 2015, capacity is not as abundant as buyers would like and consequently we are starting to see certain sectors of the market starting to edge pricing up.
In wet, the products story remains resilient, and the MR and LR2 sectors of the market continue to demonstrate good levels of enquiry. Certainly a more active opening to the year than 2012 ‐ how sustainable this will be remains to be seen and no doubt that whatever business is being concluded continues to be at challenging levels for shipyards to accommodate" said Clarkson Hellas.
Meanwhile, in a separate report, shipbroker Golden Destiny said that "in the newbuilding market, the alluring newbuilding prices stimulate investors’ decision for placing new contracts with January ending at higher volume of new orders than January in previous year. Overall, 160 newbuilding orders estimated to have been ordered during January 2013 totalling about 7,5mil dwt, representing a 9% increase from December’s 2012 levels and a remarkable 176% increase from January 2012 levels, when 58 new orders had been ordered with a total deadweight of about 3,5mil tons. In the bulk carrier segment, 35 new orders reported totalling 1,87mil tons, up by 40% from December 2012 and up by 119% year-on-year. In the tanker segment, 24 new orders reported totalling 2,7mil tons, down by 57% from December 2012 and up by 72% year-on-year. In the gas tanker segment, 17 new orders reported, which is up by 70% from December 2012 and up by 240% year-on-year, when 5 new orders had been reported. In the container segment, 14 new orders reported totalling 1,3mil tons, down by 13% from December 2012 levels, when in January last year, no new orders had been reported. Overall, the week closed with 30 fresh orders reported worldwide at a total deadweight of 775,200 tons, posting 67% week-on-week increase from previous week with significant volume of business in the bulk carriers and special projects, with incremental increases from last week’s business, up by 1100% in the bulk carrier and up by 300% in the offshore segment. This week’s total newbuilding business is down by 42% from similar week’s closing in 2012, when 52 fresh orders had been reported, 8 for bulkers, 8 for tankers, 3 for gas tankers, 9 for liners and 24 for special projects. In terms of invested capital, the total amount of money invested is estimated in the region of more than $609,65mil, 23 newbuidling deals reported at an undisclosed contract price" Golden Destiny said.
It added that "in the bulk carrier segment, Belgium’s Bocimar exercised its option for the construction of four more 36,000dwt bulkers at Samjin Shipyard with delivery in 2015. In the supramax segment, Malaysian Bulk Carriers said it has ordered a 56,000dwt bulker as a part of its fleet renewal through its subsidiary Ambi Shipping. The vessel will be built at Mitsui & Co, Japan at a newbuilding cost in the region of $26mil for delivery from 1 January to 30 June 2015.In the ultramax segment, Sinotrans of China placed an order for four 64,000dwt bulkers for the construction of two units in Chengxi Shipyard of China and the other two in Guangzhou Huangpu of China. The contract includes an option for four more vessels, but it still has not finalized. In the capesize segment, Norwegian owner, John Fredriksen is said to be in talks with Dalian Shipbuilding Industry of China for the construction of up to eight capesize newbuildings including options. In addition, industry sources suggest that Greek owner, Marmaras Navigation is said to place an order for the construction of three 180,000dwt vessels, plus an option for three more, with delivery between late 2014 and 2015" Golden Destiny said.
It concluded by mentioning that "in the tanker segment, Central Mare of Greece placed an order for the construction of a product tanker 49,000dwt at Hyundai Vinashin with delivery in 2014.
In the gas tanker segment, Malaysia's state-owned shipowner MISC has issued a tender to shipbuilders for the construction of a minimum of four LNG carrier newbuildings with a possibility of ordering up to eight. MISC, whose parent company Petronas, added that one of the LNG carriers will be used to serve Petronas future requirements for its new LNG production projects at Kanowit gas fields off Bintulu. It is widely believed that the acquisition of these new LNG carriers is to support Petronas future project requirements.