A series of largely unreported chemical tanker orders has seen China Development Bank Financial Leasing (CDB Leasing) rise to the top of the league table for newbuildings among Chinese shipowners.
The Hong Kong-listed leasing company had a total of 42 ships on order at the start of January 2022 equivalent to 6% of the current orderbook by Chinese shipowners.
The total comprises 18 chemical tankers, 22 bulk carriers and two containerships, according to data compiled by UK shipbroker Clarksons.
Bank of Communications Financial Leasing (Bocomm Leasing) was in second place with a total of 37 vessels on order consisting of 12 tankers in excess of 10,000-dwt each, 19 bulkers and six container ships.
Hong Kong-listed liner operators SITC International Holdings and Orient Overseas Container Line were in third and fourth place with orders for 26 and 22 containerships respectively, according to the Clarksons data.
In full year 2021, Chinese owners ordered 368 vessels of 15.8mgt, while 401 vessels of 12.8mgt entered the Chinese owned fleet, according to Clarksons.
“Looking ahead, the Chinese owned fleet looks set to continue its expansion, with Chinese owners retaining the largest share of the global orderbook – some 18% in tonnage terms – as of start 2022, followed by Japan with 12% and Greece with 10%,” the shipbroker added.
At the start of this year, the Chinese owned fleet totalled 10,959 vessels of a combined 224.4m gross tonnes, equivalent to 15% of the global fleet in gross tonnage terms.
Meanwhile, Clarksons said Chinese owners had 735 ships of 28.6m gross tonnes on order, equivalent to 13% of the Chinese owned fleet in gross tonnage terms.
The Chinese owned bulker fleet reached 3,192 vessels of 120.2m gross tonnes as of the start of January, accounting for the largest share of both the Chinese owned fleet and global bulker fleet at 54% and 23% respectively in tonnage terms.
Tankers in the Chinese fleet number 1,927 vessels of 39m gross tonnes, accounting for 17% of Chinese fleet capacity and 10% of tanker tonnage globally, according to Clarksons.
Meanwhile, the Chinese container ship fleet reached 811 vessels of 40.1m gross tonnes, or 3.8m-teu as of the start of January 2022, equivalent to 18% of the Chinese owned fleet in gross tonnage terms.
