Dutch Shipbuilders Held Fast in Difficult 2012

The Holland Shipbuilding Association say that the various shipbuilding sectors presented a mixed picture in the past year, ship repair & supereyact construction did well, not so large new-buildings.

New constructions of seagoing vessels
Although Dutch shipbuilders had a tough year in 2012, they were generally able to hold their own. Output did suffer though.

Deliveries from Dutch shipyards amounted to 95 seagoing vessels – a total of nearly 335,046 CGT with a value in excess of one billion euros. About 58% of the seagoing ships produced in the Netherlands in 2012 were destined for export.

The amount of new orders placed during 2012 reflected the depressed global market situation, with a decrease of 35% in value terms compared to 2011. 61 new seagoing ships were ordered in 2012, totalling 166,471 CGT. The orderbook at the end of 2012 contained orders for 129 seagoing vessels, totalling approximately 593,893 CGT. The orderbook represented a value of more than €2 billion.



Inland vessels

The Netherlands is home to numerous yards producing specialised inland vessels. These yards often rely on the import of foreign hulls, which are outfitted to the client’s requirements. This is a process that involves close cooperation with many specialised equipment suppliers.

Some 90 inland ships were delivered in 2012, totalling nearly 296,499 CGT. These also included a relatively large number of non-cargo carrying vessels, ranging from dredgers to patrol ships and river cruisers.

Looking forward, Dutch builders of river cargo vessels are facing an inland shipping market with significant overcapacity in the short term. However, infrastructural and maritime policy will increasingly favour inland shipping as a more environmentally friendly way of transporting goods within the country and to the European hinterland. This should translate into a healthy long-term business outlook. 



Superyacht industry

Dutch yards also continue to operate on the forefront of the superyacht industry. Dutch builders delivered 18 superyachts in 2012 and the orderbook in the Netherlands is still at a healthy level. Some 59 yachts worth over €2,2 billion are scheduled for launching over the next few years. A notable trend is the increase in the average size and value of both the yachts delivered and those on order.

Ship maintenance, repair and overhaul

Turnover in the Dutch ship maintenance, repair and overhaul sector grew with over 13% compared to 2011, in line with increased traffic in the main Dutch ports and also reflecting
orders for large scale refits and conversions. Dutch maintenance, repair and overhaul yards
 are among the world leaders when it comes to complex conversions and refits of a wide variety of vessel types.