Figures compiled by London broker Clarksons show that before the global economic downturn in 2008, Chinese yards raked in more than 30 million compensated gross tons (cgt) of newbuildings. But orders slid to 10.8 million cgt in 2011, and between January and September this year, only five million cgt-worth of orders were placed.
According to Clarksons, China received 293 contracts between January and September, worth $10.2bn
