Year-to-date, new orders contracted for capesize bulker have stood at 73 vessels (excluding 15 options), driven mainly by speculative bulker orders placed to take advantage of low ship value.
Current freight market is still in recession, however ship value is said to have hit the bottom from late last year that owners have started to order newbuilding bulkers, expecting market to make an upturn and targeting purchases of low-priced newbuildings.  
Given this, the new orders are expected to hit the highest since 2008 of a boom period that shipping industry displays worries over potential delay of industry recovery due to increasing capesize newbuilding orders.  
However, there are prospects suggested that large capesize orders are less likely to continue on the ground of careful moves seen in the industry, for instance, some shipowners are voicing their opinions to refrain from investing in newbuildings and etc.