Newbuild orders by US-listed shipowners have dropped sharply during the first four months of 2015, according to an IHS Maritime analysis.
US-listed companies have purchased or ordered just 29 vessels in January-April 2015, excluding related-party deals. That is down 56% versus 66 ships in the same period last year and down 60% from 72 ships in the first four months of 2013.
The reduction has been almost entirely driven by a steep fall-off in newbuild ordering. There have been only eight newbuild orders placed by US-listed shipping companies through the end of April, down from 44 in January-April 2014 and 45 in the first four months of 2013.
All of the orders placed this year are by US-listed container-ship lessors: seven by Seaspan and one by Costamare.
US-listed shipping companies have purchased 21 vessels in the second-hand market in January-April 2014, excluding related-party deals. This is roughly in line with 22 second-hand vessel acquisitions during the same period last year, but down 22% from 27 second-hand acquisitions in January-April 2013.
Of this year’s second-hand buys, 11 announced acquisitions have been container ships and 10 have been bulkers. The majority of the second-hand purchases are linked to a single deal whereby a Navios Group joint venture will acquire seven container ships and seven bulkers from distressed borrowers of HSH.
This post was sourced from IHS Maritime 360: View the original article here.
