New data from Clarkson Research Services showed that only 23 ships were ordered in April, a massive downturn from the 283 ships ordered in April 2008.
Of the four typical ship types, bulkers, boxships, tankers and LNG carriers, only ten tankers and two bulkers were ordered since the start of the year.
Howe Robinson's Containership Index showed furthermore that the idle capacity of boxships around the world amounts to ten percent of the global fleet. Howe Robinson said that it was unlikely that any new containership orders would be placed within the next two or three years.