Global sales for new shipping vessels in April came to just 127,000 deadweight tons, the lowest monthly level this year and down 97 percent compared with the same month last year, with no signs of a recovery yet on the horizon. It is estimated that the global shipping vessel orders for the whole of 2009 will be less than 10 million deadweight tons, much lower than the previous pessimistic expectation of 40 million deadweight tons.
According to the data from UK-based Clarkson Research Services, despite the sales of 23 new vessels concluded in April, the deadweight tonnage in question only amounted to 127,000, down 566,700 deadweight tons or 81.7 percent month on month. Meanwhile, total sales concluded in the first four months of 2009 reached 1.67 million deadweight tons, a decrease of 97 percent year on year.
No booking was concluded for bulk cargo vessels, container ships or oil tankers in the month of April. Furthermore, no container ship booking has been recorded in the last six months.
In April, China received bookings for new vessels totaling 84,000 deadweight tons, almost eight times the March bookings of 11,000 deadweight tons.
In addition, prices of new vessels have also been on a downward trend. Clarkson's price index in April dropped by 155 points, down 16.2 percent year on year.