Under the adverse worldwide economic scene, shipping investments haven’t lost their momentum with owners being eager in the purchase of secondhand vessels, skeptical on the placement of newbuilding contracts and more than willing to dispose their overaged vessels, even at lower scrap price levels, says Golden Destiny in an Overall outlook of shipping investments during the first half of the year “2012” report.
The first half of the year ended with the demolition activity persisting to be at record high levels, showing significant increases in the bulk carrier and container segments, while overall it has moved 33% higher from the first half of 2011, and it is expected to continue at a robust pace as the freight market’s underperformance welcomes a high volume of business during the second half of the year. In the secondhand market, there has been a 9% downfall from the investments of 2011, with dry bulk carriers purchasing activity showing the smallest decline of 6% and containers showing a revival with a 55% increase, in the number of vessels reported to have changed hands. In the newbuilding market, investors seem to follow the newbuilding trends of 2011 with less contracting activity in the bulk carrier and container segment, stronger momentum in the tanker from the placement of MR product units and intense contracting activity in the offshore segment, while LNG carriers are still on their spotlight from the buoyant spot freight market with rates at $164,000/day, the highest since December, from about $60,000/day in January 2006.
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Overall outlook of the shipping investments in the 1H 2012.pdf