PARIS, Jan 4: Three East Asian countries account for 80 per cent of the non-military shipbuilding orders worldwide, dominating in particular production of container and cargo ships, oil tankers and bulk carriers.

With a market share of barely five per cent, European shipbuilders — employing 87,000 people in western Europe — trail far behind world leader South Korea (40 per cent), Japan (32 per cent) and China (14 per cent).

The largest companies in each of the three top countries are Daewoo Shipbuilding et Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea, Mitsubishi in Japan, and Hanjin Heavy Industries in China.

In 2005, South Korea booked orders for 66 million tons, Japan for 52.8 million and China for 27.6 million. All of western Europe — the 15 members of the EU prior to the admission of 10 new states in 2004 — booked 10.5 million tons in orders for the same period, while central and eastern Europe accounted for 8.5 million.

With 4.2 million tons in orders, Germany’s shipbuilding sector — led by the Meyer Werft and Nordseewerke shipyards — is Europe’s top producer, ahead of Poland’s

Gdynia and Szczecin Shirepair yards.

France, home to the Saint-Nazaire and Lorient shipyards which owner Alstom said Wednesday would be sold to Norwegian company Aker Yards to form a joint venture, booked only 500,000 tons in orders in 2005.

To maintain a foothold in the increasingly competitive non-military shipbuilding business, some European constructors have specialized in making cruise liners and ferries, which command higher profit margins.

This niche sector is dominated by four European actors, Italy’s Fincantieri, Germany’s Meyer Werft, Aker Yards and Alstom’s Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

There are two other constructors in France: les Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie (CMN) and the chantiers Piriou, a family enterprise specializing in industrial fishing vessels and tug boats.—AFP