Japanese yards boasted a rise of 150% in new vessel orders in 2017.
Data from the Japan Ship Exporters' Association showed shipbuilders signed contracts for 195 merchant ships last year, totaling 9.45m gt.
This is more than double 2016's historic low of 3.71m gt.
Bulk carriers made up 156 of the total, but only 12 containerships were ordered.
"Tonnage values for bulk carriers bottomed out in the second half of 2017, and are returning to profit-generating levels," one yard source told the Nikkei daily.
