EDITORIAL NO 024 | 2019

A large new container ship order for 12,000-TEU vessels is set to be placed in China after a long period of low boxship contracts. But the U.S./China trade war is depressing the overall volumes of world shipbuilding orders, which is especially reflected in sluggish South Korean contracts so far this year. But South Korean orders were more active than in past weeks, with orders for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers placed and negotiations about more orders reported. Warship orders continue to hold market attention, with reports of a big Middle Eastern corvette contract won by France.