WORLD SHIPBUILDING

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 6 January 1930, Page 7

WORLD SHIPBUILDING

BRITAIN'S BIG LEAD. The returns recently issued by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping for the quarter ended September 30 show that the tonnage of vessels under construction in Great Britain and Ireland at that date was rather less than the amount of work in hand at the end of last June. While, however, the total of 1,448,355 tons is 5551 tons less than that at the end of June, it is 358,595 tons greater than was being built in British yards at the end of September, 1928. Furthermore, it is encouraging to see that a moderately good aggregate of new tonnage for overseas owners appears" in the latest returns, some <35,000 tons being intended for Dominions account, about 78,000 tons' for Norway, and 189,000 tons for other foxowners or for sale.

The tonnage under construction abroad at the end of September—l,368,984 tons —is 15,335 tons less than the work which, was in hand at the end of June. Seven countries abroad have more than 100,000 tons under construction, viz:—Germany, 235,499 tons; Holland, 224,029 tons; Japan, 156,510 tons; France, 135,776 tons; Russia, 112,073 tons; the United States 112,0.10 tons; and Sweden, 111,427 tons. The total tonnage under construction in the world amount to 2,817,339 tons, of Which 51.4 per cent, is building in Great Britain and Ireland, and 45.6 per cent, abroad. The average percentages in the last twelve months before the war, it is interesting to note, wore 57.2 for Great Britain and Ireland, and 42. S for abroad. In Great Britain and Ireland 360.087 tons were commenced'—a decrease of about 68,000 tons' over the similar .figures for the June quarter; and 369,445 tons were launched—a deereae of about 23,000 tons. Similar figures for abroad are 300,606 tons commenced and 345,927 tons launched. TANKERS AND MOTOR-SHIPS. An increase as compared with the previous quarter is shown in the tanker tonnage under construction, the present figures being 53 vessels of 400,913 tons, of which 27 vessels of 226,412 tons are being built, in Great Britain and Ireland. Of the 53 tankers under construction, 45 are motor-ships. The tonnage of motor-ships under construction in Great Britain and Ireland (651,875 tons) amounts to over 82 per cent, of the tonnage of steamers building, while the mot or-ship tonnage being constructed abroad (879,878 tons) exceeds by nearly 83 per cent, the tonnage of steamers: The continued progress in the cmplowment of th-c i>nteirnal-conub-u-stioji cngine for large vessels is indicated by the; fact that while there are now buildi'in.g in the world (iS motor-ships each of 8000 tons and upwards, only 2.1 steamersl of such size are under construction. These figures include 15 motor-ships and 5 .steamers each of 15,000 tons and upwards.

The information in the latest returns respecting propelling machinery unfortunately does no.t show complete Avorld figures for marine engines of all types, ns the figures for steam turbine, engines building in Germany are not available; but the table shows that the indicated horsepower of reciprocating steam engines now building or being fitted on board amounts to about 52.1,000 horse-power, while the figures for oil engines aggregate about 1,334,000 horse-power.