Big ship orders ‘unlikely’

There’s little likelihood of any new
ship orders being placed this year
in light of excess capacity and weak
demand, according to Drewry
Shipping Consultants.
“For the moment there is little
incentive for orders of big ships
to be placed and in the current
environment financing is probably
hard to come by,” a spokesman
said. “The alliances are being
re-structured and while this is
going on carriers are less inclined
to take on the burden of any more
debt.” The only market rumours,
according to Drewry, are that IRISL
is talking to yards and that CMA
CGM may place an order for more
ships of about 18 000 TEUs.
“There are no drivers, other than
shipyards in Asia offering very low
prices, that will bring owners back
into the market in the short-term to
order any more big ships.”