TOP Ships has recently diversified its tanker fleet with two suezmax crude carriers delivered last year

The latest uptick in shipbuilding activity began in early May with a contract from CM Lemos for two firm suezmaxes at Hyundai Heavy Industries. The long-established blue-chip Neda Maritime is said to be poised to order up to two LR2 product tankers

The merger of China’s two largest state shipbuilding groups has gained the combined entity more weight in the eyes of Beijing’s policymakers, enabling it to win more support from state-owned shipowners and leasing houses amid the market downturn

Hyundai’s last order was a pair of suezmaxes ordered at the beginning of May, also by an undisclosed European owner

Deal follows a contract for four VLCC newbuildings signed separately between the two parties in November

Weaker prospects may be ahead for Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering as turnover fell 5.5% to Won1.95trn

Ongoing Saudi strategy to flood the market with oil sees Bahri charter in another two VLCCs within five days

Demand for both LNG carrier and large containership newbuildings this year may fall short of expectations due to the coronavirus outbreaks

Japan is one of the five foreign jurisdictions whose anti-trust authorities can throw a spanner in the works of the HHI-DSME megamerger 

Shipbuilding nations advocating market-based rules, such as Japan, have been disappointed by continuing government handouts from competitors, but the frustration is unlikely to go away anytime soon

South Korea and China have eaten away at the Japanese share of the shipbuilding market in recent years

While the number of active shipyards has shrunk significantly since 2009, hopefully the power of consolidation will truly revive the industry