February 3 - "BREAKBULK: Operators, Fleets, Markets" is the the latest publications from the Dutch shipping and transport Information and consultancy business, Dynamar.
The publication focuses on the present and future of the industry by analysing the main breakbulk, project and heavy lift operators and the capability of their current vessel fleet and orderbook. Furthermore it looks into the main market segments, recent developments and outlook.
According to Dirk Visser, senior shipping consultant; managing editor DynaLiners: "Container ships are often attributed with having enabled the just concluded decade of globalisation. However, it should not be overlooked that it was breakbulk vessels carrying the out-of-box-gauge machinery to the new production centres which allowed the China Factor to actually taking off.
"Such vessels carry project materials including the highest engineering-grade machinery and complex structures, shipped by the finest hi-tech companies. Some 200 such companies are listed in this report.
"In all, the breakbulk industry has been riding the waves of globalisation very successfully. Breakbulk-heavy lift-project cargo carriers have become as essential to the world as box ships. Effectively, since the start of the new millennium, breakbulk turned around from an ailing into a thriving industry. An initial lack of newer, more efficient ships has in part been repaired with the arrival of new, very capable and productive units, while many more are on order.
"A more in-depth look at the fleet composition of the world's 25 largest breakbulk operators learns that the deadweight share of the new ships they have signed for currently stands at 34 percent of their existing fleet. This is certainly a sizeable orderbook. It is 25 percent for all breakbulk vessels on order worldwide.
"However, if all ships older than 25 years of age were scrapped, now, then the total orderbook would only replace 70 percent of the lost space. This is where the breakbulk segment differs so notably from the container industry: here the capacity of newbuildings exceeds that of +25-year vessels by more than 15 times!
"Looking more closely at their heavy lift capacity: just over 40 units of the Top 25 operators can handle loads of between 500 and 750 tonnes. Their orderbook includes 115 vessels with a handling gear capacity exceeding 500 tonnes up to even 1,400 tonnes.
"This publication features unique rankings of the top 25 breakbulk, ro-ro and heavy load operators - followed by similar rankings of their competitors, the largest operators of container, reefer and vehicle carrying ships. Profiles are provided on 45 of the most important players. For each company, its existing fleet (ships, total and average deadweight) and orderbook is detailed.
"In addition, there are separate rankings for the heavy lift capabilities of the tonnage operating and on order in terms of crane (tonnes) and ramp (tonnes) capacities and float performance (submerged depth).
"The last main section of this new publication provides an overview of important breakbulk and project shipping markets by major cargo segment, complemented with the main trade areas. Relevant notes on such issues as developments, expectations, facts, findings, opinions, trends and the like, altogether provide an interesting overall picture of the breakbulk trades.
"Like so many other industries, 2009 will not be in the history books as breakbulk's most enjoyable year. However, the positive mid- to long-term fundamentals of the breakbulk industry have not changed. Dependent on which horizon the individual carrier can safely sail for, the future is bright.
"Above all, the breakbulk market lacks transparency - Dynamar's "BREAKBULK: Operators, Fleets, Markets" report in particular provides better insight into this fascinating shipping segment."
"BREAKBULK - Operators, Fleets, Markets" is available from Dynamar B.V. The report price is EUR495 (ex VAT) and can be ordered at info@dynamar.com or online at www.dynamar.com.
