The past decade has seen Germany's share of the global merchant shipbuilding orderbook slide inexorably in gross tonnage terms, with output falling from a 3.6 share of the market in 2002 to 0.66 in 2012. According to the latest IHS Fairplay data, German shipbuilders completed a total of 26 merchant ships during 2012 with an aggregate gross tonnage of 47 l,680gt. Interestingly, this output in tonnage exceeded the preceding year, when 430,000gt was completed. However, with a number of yard closures potentially looming, the long-term future for German merchant shipbuilding does not appear that bright.
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