Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-15
new TRADE SHIPS
TOTAL IS SMALLER
LIoyd's Register Shows De-
cline in Volume of
Building.

Sharp declines in the volume of the
worlds construction of merchant vessels
are shown in statement just issued by
Lloyd's Register of Shipping, covering
returns from all maritime countries,
except Russia, for the quarter ended
September 80, last. The total tonnage
now in the hands of the shipbuilding
industry is well under the work in hand
just before the war period. The world
total now reported is lower than at any
time since September 80, 1928.
Merchant shipping under construction
at the end of September was shown by
the returns to be almost half million
gross tons less than at the end of June.
The June total, however, included 1885,
600 tons for Russia, so that the net de-
cline is about $50, 900 gross tons, great
er decrease for any quarter than has
occurred since the end of the postwar
shipbuilding imitation period, in the
early 1920s.
u. S. Decline Smaller.
Tia great bulk Of the decrease during
the INST quarter. Lloyd's points out, was
due TO the decline in work In Great
Britain and Ireland, where 900 gross
tons less are now in the hands OF the
shipbuilders than at the end of last
June For the United States the de-
cline for the same period was only
$4,000 tons. Germany'S total decreased
$4,000 tons; Denmark's $4,000 tons, and
Japan's 1900 tons, while small de-
creases were shown for Holland and
Sweden. France and Italy were the
only countries to show gains, the former
country increasing the work in hand
$4,000 tons and Italy raising its total
$4,000 tons.
How the volume of work has compared
In the last two quarters is shown by
Lloyds in the following tables of gross
tonnage, Russia not being included in
the figures for September 80.
80 Sept 81 a. dung 20
Great Britain and Ireland. 1.Iis,74s 1,ss2oss
United States. ............ 2l2,974 23SI63
Other Countries. 1,239,3l6 1,427,5OS
world Total ............ 2,5ss,Os6 3.o57, 7s5
At present, the returns show, the
volume Of merchant shipbuilding be-
ing constructed in all countries under
the supervision of Lloyd'S Register and
intended for classification with that
society aggregates 1908, 691 gross tons
This total includes 997, 401 tons in the
hands of the shipbuilders of Great Brit
ain and Ireland and 806,290 tons in the
other maritime countries. Lloyds,
therefore. now has under supervision
20 per cent of the entire merchant
shipbuilding of the world and nearly
80 per cent of the building in Great |
Britain and Ireland, compared with 81 |
per cent of the worlds production in |
the previous quarter and "a per cent |
Of that in Great Britain and Ireland |
New Orders Smaller.
Again in the last quarter the volume |
Of new orders fell far short of replace |
ing the work being carried toward COM |
pletion, the launchings during the |
period representing about 230, 900 gross |
tons more than the new tonnage on /
which work was begun. Practically the !
entire loss fell on Great Britain and !
600 tons less than the aggregate Of |
new work, as against launching excess !
of only about 5000 tons for the other |
countries combined.
The contrast between the volume of !
launchings and of requirements in the |
the last two quarters is shown by
Llcyd's in the following gross tonnage |
table:
sertember June
80, 1880. 30, 1880 |
Other Countries ...... @. SasS'Si4S zSS77Sff
World total .............. 7O4,s07 s72,o6e |
New Work.
Great Britain and Ireland. 1894 227.2Os |
Otner countries .....'.... 5l4,5l 343,419 |
World total .............. 472,ss5 57o,625 |
It will be noted that while Great
Britain and Ireland launched a greater |
volume of tonnage than all other coun- |
tries combined, the new work secured |
by their shipyards was only about half /
Of that gained by the other nations.
Tankers In Demand.
Demand for tankers has now reached |
Q point where this type of commercial |
vessel now represents about 40 per cent |
of the total worlds ship construction, |
although there was decline Of rs 1000 |
gross tons in the volume of this ton |
mage being built at the end Of the last |
quarter as compared with the preceding |
one. The returns, which deal with |
steam and motor tankers of 1000 gross |
tons and upward each, show that a |
little more than half of the total tom |
mage Of this type is being built in |
Great Britain and Ireland, as COM |
pared with nearly so per cent in the
previous quarter. This reduction Is ac-
companied by decline of $4,000 gross
tons In the total being constructed in
Great Britain and ireland. as COM
trasted with the volume at the end Of
June. Declines are also shown for Ger
many and the United States, but the
other countries combined report a gain
of about 10000 tons.