As global newbuilding market continues its active movement from early this year, it is tallied that a total of 604 new vessels of a combined 53.70m dwt (13.60m cgt) were contracted by May.
According to the latest report by Clarkson Research Services, new orders contracted increased by 82% in dwt terms in the first five months of 2013, in comparison with the same period a year ago.
On the other hand, in terms of contract value, a total of $26.6bn was invested in newbuilding orders during January-May period, which represents a drop by 26% year-on-year. Decrease in total value of contracts has been caused by change in types of vessels ordered. High value, offshore-related vessels and gas carriers led new order market last year, however commercial vessels have been mostly ordered this year.
During a period from January to May, Korean shipbuilding industry was awarded orders for 162 newbuildings of a combined 14.70m dwt (5.20m cgt, $12.8bn) while Chinese rivals won 271 vessels of 17.50m dwt (5.30m cgt, $7.7bn) and Japanese gained contracts for 73 newbuildings of 5.60m dwt (1.70m cgt, $3bn).  
Newbuilding contracts during the full month of May were signed for 113 vessels of 7.90m dwt with $6.9bn in total, of which bulker and containership accounted for the most.
Thanks to the newbuilding order uptrend, Clarkson’s newbuilding price index recorded 126.6p as of the end of May, up by month-on-month 0.3p. This, however, still is a 5% lower comparing with the one tallied from a year ago.  
Particularly, newbuilding prices of bulker slightly rose after hitting the bottom and 180,000-dwt capesize bulker showed $47.50m of a standard newbuilding price, up by $500,000 from the previous month.  
In addition, 35,000-dwt handysize bulker’s standard newbuilding price recorded $21.25m, increased by 1.2%, and accomplished its first upturn since May, 2010, while 58,000-dwt handymax bulker posted $24.75m which is the highest standard price since July, 2012.
Meanwhile, in the year to May, newbuilding deliveries in the world recorded 849 vessels of a combined 54.50m dwt, decreased by 28% in numerical terms and 15% in dwt terms from the same time period a year ago.
During the period, however, deliveries outnumbered new orders contracted by 41%, which showed protracted orderbook downtrend. As of late May, newbuilding orderbook of global shipbuilding industry stood at 4,438 vessels of 242.10m dwt (89.70m cgt), decreased by 26% in numerical terms and 29% in dwt terms, from a year ago.  
From January to May, 2013, toverall 438 vessels of a combined 19.80m dwt were sold for demolition, declined by 33% in numerical terms and 29% in dwt terms, year-on-year.