Basque Country shipyards tripled their new contracts in 2021 compared to 2019
Despite the impact of covid-19, transporters' strike and raw materials inflation, Basque Country shipbuilding sector has a portfolio of 15 ships with workload until 2023
Basque shipyards have insured 7 new ships in 2021, compared to 6 contracted in 2020 and 2 in 2019. Basque shipbuilding industry is facing the impact of the covid-19 crisis, the transporters' strike, and the raw materials inflation with workload until the end of 2023 thanks to new orders. With a portfolio of 15 vessels in five Basque production plants, the sector triples its new contracts signed last year compared to 2019.
Although during last year, companies in the Basque shipbuilding sector recovered their turnover by 3%, that is, to 2,852 million euros, in Europe the value of new contracts fell by 78% compared to 2019, going from 22.7 billion euros to 4.9 billion.
However, despite the improvement, from Foro Maritimo Vasco (FMV), they point out billing is still below pre-pandemic levels. Thus, "the hiring forecasts for 2022 in the first months of the year were favourable to a recovery and even to exceeding 2019 data", however "the geopolitical situation is generating great uncertainties and reticence in investors", they complained.
Zamakona, the shipyard with the highest workload in Spain
From 13 contracts won by Basque shipyards between 2020 and 2021, 77% −9 ships− were for the international market, that is, for foreign shipowners. In the national group last year, 23 vessels were ordered (14 merchant ships and 9 fishing boats), with a portfolio of 45 units. In addition, all the activity of Private Shipbuilding Construction in Spain was shared equally between Galicia, Asturias and Euskadi. Zamakona shipyard was the one with the highest number of new workloads in the entire country, with 34,934 gross registered tons (GRT). By shipyard, Zamakona is the one with the most orders in its portfolio currently, with 7 orders. From their side, Murueta and Balenciaga are working on 4 new boats each.
(Source: Crónica Vasca)