China's shipbuilding industry to consume 13 mln tons of steel in 2009

China's shipbuilding industry's demand for steel is estimated to reach 13 million tons in 2009, based on the estimation that the industry's output may exceed 40 million dead weight tons in the year, up 13 percent over 2008. The total steel consumption may include 11.7 million tons of ship plates, 1.2 million tons of profiled bars and flat bulb steel, and 400,000 tons of tubing.
China's shipbuilding capacity is estimated to hit 50 million dead weight tons in 2011, without massive withdrawal of orders, driving the industry's steel consumption amount up to 17 million to 18 million tons.