According to the data released by the Japan Ship Exporters' Association (JSEA), Japanese new ship export orders in April this year decreased on tonnage basis to 35 ships totaling 1.26 million gross tons, compared to the 49 ships totaling 2.7 million gross tons recorded in the previous month. Japan's new ship export orders, consisting of 27 bulk carriers, fell in April following the strong month-on-month increase recorded in March this year. In April 2012, Japan's new ship export orders had totaled 10 ships amounting to 515,768 gross tons.
At the end of the first four months of the current year, Japanese shipbuilders' order books for export totaled 99 ships, with a total of 4.7 million gross tons, rising by 74.3 percent on tonnage basis as compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, in April of the current year Japan delivered 18 ships totaling 858,215 gross tons for export, decreasing from 34 ships totaling 1.4 million gross tons recorded in March this year. In January-April this year, Japan delivered 115 ships for export, totaling 5.3 million gross tons, down 17.2 percent on tonnage basis compared to the first four months of 2012.