Japan yards and owners boast largest orderbooks in the world

Japanese yards and owners top the ranks in terms of orderbooks, according to data from Clarkson Research.

On the changing leadership for top spot among Asian yards, Clarkson Research noted in its most recent report: “[A]gainst the background of a declining orderbook since 2008, the Japanese orderbook has switched from third to first position.” However, the analysts noted that China is only just behind in second spot, with an orderbook that is just 3.4m gt smaller.

It is not just Japan’s yards, but its owners that are top in terms of orderbooks too. Like the yards scene, Chinese owners are in second place, with the Greeks and the Germans in third and fourth, according to Clarkson Research which points out that nationality of ownership is defined as the “real nationality”, reflecting the home country of the interests behind the primary reference company connected to each ship.