The members of ASSONAVE, the association of ship builders, repairers and suppliers, met in Rome to review the status of the European shipbuilding industry.
The chairman of the meeting, Corrado Antonini said that all Italian shipbuilding production indices grew in 2007. 32 ships were delivered, 49 were ordered, with an order book amounting to 95 units for a value of Eur 10.6 billion (US$15.21 billion) (Eur 6.8 billion (US$9.76 billion) in foreign transactions). However, Mr Antonini said that the increase of production costs, especially supplies, and the unfavourable evolution of the US dollar/Euro exchange rate have burdened, in Italy and in the rest of Europe, commercial activities and penalized the cost-effectiveness of new buildings. Such factors are affecting, to a decidedly lesser extent, also the Far East, where almost all standard merchant vessels and an increasing share of high-tech ships are now being built. Italy is still known for its quality cruise ship construction, with the highest “per unit” value. Conversely, it must be underlined that the Korean government has shown a totally opposite approach, in a market of global competition, preventing foreign capitals from taking part in the privatization process of the Daewoo shipyard. Within such an environment, the Chairman stated, Italian yards must increase their determination especially in the safeguard of the technological excellence of its products. This includes plant modernizing, industrial research, process and product innovation, protection and training of human resources.
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