WORLD SHIPBUILDING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20519, 21 March 1930, Page 11

WORLD SHIPBUILDING.

TONNAGE SHOWS INCREASE.

INDUSTRY IN BRITAIN.

OUTLOOK NOW BRIGHTER.

[VROIt OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] i.! LONDON, Feb. 6. The annual summary of shipbuilding of Lloyd's Register gives the tonnage launched in Great Britain and Ireland last year as 1,522,623. The output of shipping in countries other than Great Britain and Ireland is given as 1,252,584 tons. The total output for the world last year consisted of 1012 vessels of 2,793,210 tons. These figures are slightly diffeuent from figures published a fortnight ago based on the totals for the four quarterly t returns.

The production of the world last year exceeded the figures for 1928 Jay 94,000 tons. In Great Britain and Ireland the increase was 77,000 tons, while abroad it amounted to only 17,000 tons. There were launched in Great Britain and Ireland 114 vessels, of 259,870 tons, for owners residing abroad, equivalent to 17.1 per cent, of the total output. Twenty-five of these vessels, of about 91,000 tons, are to be registered in Norway.

Lloyd's Register points out that at the beginning of last year 2,618,000 tons of shipping were being built throughout the world. During tho first quarter there was an increase to about 2,838,000 tons, and that total remained almost stationary until tho last quarter of the year. Then a further increase took place, and the figures for the end of December amounted to 3,111,000 tons, an increase of 493,000 tons on those for December, 1928. The greater part of the increase—3l7,ooo tons —was accounted for in Great Britain and. j Ireland, leaving 176,000 tons for abroad.

Better Than Recent Years. It is stated that the tonnage on which work has recently been started not only reaches a high level, but that the amount started more than replaces the tonnage launched, " and in conjunction with the figures of the work in hand at the and of December, it may be assumed that the outlook for the immediate future of the shipbuilding industry as a whole is brighter than it has been during recent vears."

Of the total output of Germany, as many as 34 vessels, of 111,576 tons, wero intended for other countries, including 13 vessels, of 49,086 tons, for France. The vessels launched throughout the world last year included 124 of mor© than 6000 tons each, of which 18 were between 10,000 and 15,000 tons, and 16 were of 15,000 tons and upward. The largest vessels launched last year were the Britannic (26,840 gross tonnage), Empress of Japan (25,000 tons), Orontes (19,970 tons), and Winchester Castle '(19,950 tons). .These four were constructed in Great Britain or Ireland. In France the Lafayette (21,500 tons.) was built; in Holland the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (18,000 tons); and in the United States tho Pennsylvania (20,526 tons).

Daring the year there were launched 27 vessels of about 173,000 tons, which are to be fitted with steam turbines (107,000 tons in Great Britain and Ireland), and 25 vessels, of 128,000 tons (58,000 tons in Great Britain and Ireland), with a combination of reciprocating steam engines and low pressure turbines. The tonnage of new vessels which will be propelled by means of internal combustion engines amounts to about 1,270,000 ( 464,000 in Great Britain and Ireland).

New Motor Vessels. While in Great Britain and Ireland motor-ships represent 30.5 per cent, of the mechanically propelled tonnage launched during 1929, abroad such percentage reaches During tha year, 49 tankers, of 324,870 tons, were launched, of which 25, of 175,009 tons, were 1 built in Great Britain and Ireland.

Of the steam tonnage launched in the world—l,so4.ooo—about 410,000 tons represented steamers fitted to burn oil fuel under the boilers, so that of the world tonnage (2.793,000) launched during 1929, only 39 per cent, was exclusively dependent on coal for propulsion. Disregarding sailing vessels and all wood vessels, in view of their comparatively small importance in international trade, the gross tonnage of sea-going steel and iron steamers and motor-ships amounted, in June, 1914, to 42,514,000, while in June, 1929, the figures reached 62,896,000 tons, an increase of 20,382,000 tons. Of the merchant vessels launched during 1929, ,503, of 1,797,323 tons (355 vessels, of 1,194,667 tons, in Great Britain and Ireland, and 148, of 602,656 tons, abroad), were being built under the survey of the society with a view to classification in Lloyd's Register Book. Of the total tonnage launched in the world during the last 15 years, 63 1-3 per cent, has been built under the survey of Lloyds Register. «