NYK is said to have ordered two very large crude carriers while Greek shipowner Atlas Maritime has declared options for a pair of suezmax tankers

Greek shipowners have been particularly active in ordering medium-range and long range two product tankers, while two gas carrier operators have booked specialised LPG tankers  

Chinese shipbuilders picked up 75% of newbuilding contracts, by ship number, in the past week. Elsewhere, South Korea is bagging business that focuses on high-value gas carrier contracts

CMES has exercised options for four pure car and truck carriers and has signed new orders for two kamsarmax bulkers and a pair of premium project carriers

The orderbook for multi-purpose vessels of below 12,500 dwt is starting to grow as shipowners face an ageing fleet and low levels of newbuilding investment in the past decade

New energy-efficient tonnage will replace three 2000s-built specialised ro-ro cargo ships that carry assemblies and parts for Airbus. However, newbuilding contracts have yet to be signed

Orders of the 210,000 dwt newcastlemax series for George Economou-led TMS Bulkers in China have now reached eight vessels

The first in a new series of dual-fuel methanol ultra-large containerships has been floated out of its building dock as new orders for methanol-enabled boxships, bulkers and tankers have been placed in the past week

Orders for dual-fuel methanol ships have been confirmed by CMA CGM and Diana Shipping

The newbuilding orderbook for suezmax tankers and very large crude carriers has now reached 56 vessels and 22 ships respectively

A total of 24 newbuildings have been ordered in the past week with the dry cargo and tanker sectors providing the majority of deals

Chinese shipbuilders continue to pick up the majority of newbuilding contracts with 75% of orders placed in the past week, by value, being contracted in China

Order for 88,000 cu m capacity very large gas carriers is said by brokers to have been placed by Norway’s Solvang

A total of 38 merchant vessel newbuildings have been contracted in the past fortnight with the majority in the dry cargo and tanker sectors

Compared with the past few weeks, newbuilding orders have slowed, with only five contracts confirmed in the past week

Five shipowners have each ordered either crude oil or product tankers in the past week, while newbuilding contracts in the chemical tanker, dry cargo, multi-purpose and gas sectors have also been signed