China’s Jiangsu remains country’s biggest shipbuilding province as it recorded higher shipbuilding figures in the first eight months of this year, according to local government data.

From January to August this year, Jiangsu shipbuilders received new orders for 300 ships with a total tonnage of 16.88m dwt, representing an increase of 64.3% compared to the previous corresponding period.

Among the new orders, 94.9% will be exported, accounting for 35.6% of China’s total new order export market share and 19.7% of the global share.

Up until 31 August 2014, Jiangsu shipbuilders sat on an existing orderbook of 1,183 ships with a combined capacity of 69.78m dwt, a jump of 65.3% year-on-year, the government data showed. The delivered vessel tonnage, however, saw a decrease of 16.9% to 152 ships on 6.82m dwt.

The leading shipbuilding province also recently saw 13 of its yards make it to Beijing’s ‘white list’, a status that would allow the listed yards to receive favourable policy support and bank loans. Some of the Jiangsu yards in the list include Yangzhou Dayang Shipbuilding, New Yangzi Shipbuilding, New Century Shipbuilding, Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries, Taizhou Kouan Shipbuilding, Hantong Ship Heavy Industry, Nantong Mingde Heavy Industry, Sainty Marine, and Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering.

Meanwhile according to statistics from China’s ministry of industry and information technology, the country’s shipbuilders received newbuilding orders totalling 47.4m dwt in the first eight months, a rise of 35.8% from a year ago.

The completed vessel tonnage during the period decreased 18.1% year-on-year to 22.08m dwt, while existing orderbook stood at 153.7m dwt, up 34.1% year-on-year and up 17.3% compared to the end of 2013.

In August alone, shipbroker Clarksons noted that a majority of China’s newbuilding contracts went to chemical tankers, dry bulk carriers, multi-purpose vessels and PSVs. Shipowners placed orders for eight new chemical tankers, six bulk carriers, four multi-purpose vessels, and four PSVs.
Source: Seatrade Global