Newbuilding price of commercial ship worsened in the first half of 2011, lowering from last year.

    According to Clarksons, average newbuilding price of 320K VLCC in H1 2011 was down by 2.9% from last year to $102m, 180K bulkers dropped 5.3% to $54m and 8,800-teu boxships lowered by 0.5% to $94.5m. 
 

    Thick plate, which takes 20% of shipbuilding cost, is pressuring shipbuilding industry with its higher price and operating margins of shipbuilders would sharply reduce in 2-3 years.

    Korea Investors Service forecasts South Korea's major seven shipbuilders' operating margins in average would go down to 7.6% in 2012 and 0.6% in 2013 from this year's 12.6%.
 

(source:asiasis)