Fewer Yards Delivering Ships on Global Scale

The global dowturn in contracting activity has seen various fluctuations in the newbuilding tonnage delivered together with variations in the number of yards delivering ships (1,000 GT and above), according to the latest report on shipbuilding issued by London-based Clarksons.

“In 2005, 334 yards delivered almost 1,600 ships of 72.2m dwt. This rose to 576 yards delivering over 3,000 ships of 152.4m dwt at the peak of the delivery boom in 2010.

However, with the fall in contracting activity following the global downturn, the number of yards making a delivery declined and, last year, 155 fewer yards delivered a ship compared to 2010. This slide appears to have continued, albeit at a slower rate, and this year 295 yards have made a delivery so far,” Clarksons’ Samantha Barnwell said.

Clarksons’ analysis of the yards delivering the most tonnage each year, shows that the ‘top 10’ yards’ output of over 50% of tonnage in 2005 fell to around 38% during the delivery boom. The number has since risen, moving back in the direction of the pre-delivery boom share, even as the volume of tonnage delivered from these largely experienced yards fell from 63.7m dwt in 2011 to 43.9m dwt in 2013.

“Meanwhile, the next group of builders which comprise the ‘top 11-20’ have maintained a fairly consistent share of global deliveries, outputting between 16% and 20% of tonnage p.a. since 2005. The volume of output from these yards has varied substantially, ramping up by 63% (to 24.7m dwt) between 2008 and 2010 during the delivery boom as yards reacted quickly to increased demand before scaling back (to 18.5m dwt in 2013) as global demand fell,” Barnwell added.

With respect to the yards making up the “top ten”, Chinese yards, which accounted for 5% of tonnage output from the ‘top 10’ yards in 2005, have increased their share and in the year to date two Chinese state yards alone account for 20% of deliveries from the ‘top 10’, Clarksons writes, adding that the share of deliveries made by Chinese yards has increased over the period.

“Chinese yards accounted for just under 30% of dwt output by the ‘top 11-20’ yards in 2005; however, in the ytd, seven Chinese yards accounted for 70% of the ‘top 11-20’ deliveries,” Barnwell added.

“The established yards of the ‘top 10’ are moving back towards the 50% share marker, whilst the next tier of yards, despite seeing a change in composition and their output fall, are maintaining a fairly constant share of global output.”