GENEVA REVIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 23, 27 January 1934, Page 17

GENEVA REVIEW

WHAT LLOYD'S SAY

THE FUTURE PROSPECT

(By "Martingale.")

In reading the review of Lloyd's for the year 1932-33 ono is struck by the father nielancholy tale of the past, but a more optimistic note is sounded, about the prospects for the'future. The society's report covers the period up to June 30, 1933, therefore it does not include the very momentous. happenings of the latter half of the year When building orders —both- mercantile and naval—were placed with almost amazing rapidity. •' - BOTTOM REACHED. That Lloyd's had in no small way anticipated this change for the better may be shown in the following words dealing with the general outlook for the industry: , : The society's statistics show that upwards of 18,500,000 tons of the 'tonnage-at present afloat is over 20 years old,-so that the cessation in ■shipbuilding can only, be iof a temporary nature. .... Figures of the plans passed by the committee of Lloyd's Register for new orders in the quarter prided September 30 showed a material increase over those of the corresponding quarter of 1932. ■ . -■/> During the twelve months ended June 30 last the society's classification was assigned to. lll. new vessels of 449,751 tons gross. Although thia figure is the lowest recorded for. nearly fifty years, the report states, it represents approximately 60 per cent, of the world tonnage completed' during the period. The following table throws some' light on the shipbuilding position, the years being selected' -which show best the fluctuating fortunes of the industry:— Gross tons built. 1913-14 ........... „■ 2.020,185 1915-16 ............. '790,209 1918-19 3,801,221 1919-20 .' 4,253,523 • '1922-23 .............. 1,610,225 1923-24 885,660 1926-27, ...; 978,146 1929-30 .............. 1,807,816 .. 1931-32 920,902 1932-33 449,751 MANY CLASSIFIED. . Including ships v under construction, the total number of vessels classed and intended for classification with Lloyd's Register is 9690 ships of nearly 33,000,000 tons. This is practically half of the world's shipping and is a proof of the outstanding position of Lloyd's Begister as a. classification society; Special mention is made in the report of a number of vessels of over

10,000 tons gross which, were classed m the year under review. These included the record-breaking Italian quadruplescrew liners Bex! and. Conte di Savoia, the Matson Jine's' I^urline, and Furness, Withy, and Company's, speedy Queen of Bermuda. The Bex and the Conte di Savoia were the, only two ships classed which, had; a gross tonnage of over 45,000. , The growth of the ' motor-ship also attracts a little attention. From a tare 234.287 tons gross, represented by 297 ships; in" 1914-15, the- total had risen by last June to 10j200,392 tons, repre senting 4663 ships i From the point of view of use in oil and coal it is interesting to note that, whereas in 1922-23 coal-burning vessels represented 73.9 per cent, of the world's shipping, this had fallen in the short space of ten years to 54.6 per cent. —oil going far to double its usefulness in the shipping world.