According to the data released by the Japan Ship Exporters' Association (JSEA), Japanese new ship export orders in May this year declined by 40.8 percent on tonnage basis compared to the previous month, decreasing to six ships totaling 305,370 gross tons, consisting of one tanker, one crude carrier and four bulk carriers. In May 2011, Japan's new ship export orders totaled 18 ships with 551,270 gross tons.
At the end of the first five months of the current year, Japanese shipbuilders' order books for export totaled 61 ships, with a total tonnage of 3 million gross tons, falling by 33.8 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, in May, Japan delivered 27 ships totaling 1.3 million gross tons for export, decreasing from 39 ships totaling 1.8 million gross tons recorded in April this year. In the first five months of this year, Japan delivered 171 ships for export, totaling 7.7 million gross tons, remaining almost stable compared to the corresponding period of 2011.