SHIPS MADE IN GERMANY SHIPS MADE IN GERMANY 2020 – a tough year for shipbuilders During 2020 global shipbuilding orders dropped by a third to 33.6 mill. GT. Production slipped to its lowest levels in 15 years, according to a Clarksons report. Overall output fell to 58.2 mill. GT or in terms of compensated gross tons to 28.7 mill. CGT, down 15 % year on year to its lowest level since 2005 and to 50% of the 2010 production peak. By reaching over 85 % of 2019 levels, Clarksons sees yards showing »good resilience given Covid-19 challenges and continued consolidation.« New orders fell by around a third by tonnage and 47 % in value terms (the high value cruise market stalled), to 19.2 mill. CGT, 53.9 mill. dwt and 42.4 bn $. Strong ordering in the fourth quarter contributed to the most active quarter since early 2018. »Bulk carrier ordering fell by around 50 % but tanker, gas and container activity held up much better, especially by tonnage rather than numbers, reflecting a focus on larger vessels and project business«, the analysts assessed. 31 % of new orders by tonnage were alternative fuel in 2020 which increased to 29 % of the orderbook. According to Clarksons and data published by the Japanese shipbuilding industry association SAJ, Chinese yards retained their output lead in 2020 with 37 % market share by CGT, followed by South Korea (31% market share), Japan (22%, down from 25 %) and Europe (7%, down from 8 % as European cruise deliveries dropped 33 % y-o-y). South Korean yards won most orders, taking 43 % of contracts by CGT compared to 41 % for China. At 121 mill. GT the global orderbook is now at its lowest level for 31 years (7% of the fleet). n 120,990,000 GT on order 58,220,000 GT delivered 33,360,000 GT new orders © Data from SAJ 24 HANSA – International Maritime Journal 04 | 2021
SHIPS MADE IN GERMANY © Data from SAJ HANSA – International Maritime Journal 04 | 2021 25
