WORLD'S SHIPBUILDING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17178, 7 February 1930, Page 7

WORLD'S SHIPBUILDING

BRIGHTER OUTLOOK BRITISH YARDS NOT FULL (British Official Wireless.! Rec. 10 a.m. RUGBY, Feb. 5. A comprehensive survey of the world's shipbuilding is contained in the annual summary of Lloyd's Register. The gross tonnage of seagoing steel and iron steamships ami motorships in all (ountries last June was nearly 63,000,000, an increase of over 20,0^0,t,GG tons, or nearly 60 per cent, on the figure in June, 1914. Last year tonnage of over 1,500,000 was launched in Great liritain and Ireland alone. This was nearly 300.000 tons more than the combined output oi the rest of the world, and 54. b per cent, of the total, as compared with 53.6 per cent, in each of the two previous years. At the end of last year tli'u tonnage under construction throughout the world was 423,000 tons more than in December! 1928, and of this increase the respective shares of Great Britain and Ireland and of the rest oi the world were 317,000 and 176,000 tons. As compared with Great Britain and Ireland's production of over 1,500,0'0J tons last year, the outputs of the other principal 'shipbuilding countries were: Germany, 2:49,000 tons; Holland, 186.0C0 tons; Japan, 164.000 tons; United States, 126,000 tons; Denmark, 111,000 tons, and Sweden, 107,000 tons. A proportion of over 17 per cent, of Britain's total output was for owners living abroad. This figure shows an increase on the previous year.The general conclusion drawn from the figures is that the shipbuilding outlook is brighter than in recent years. Work just begun not only has reached a High level, but more than replaces the tonnage launched. Nevertheless, the capacity of the British yards still largely exceeds the demand. This is duo to the wholesale manner they were extended during the war, and the severe restrictions of naval work since its end.