Amid continued active global energy industry, energy companies eye on offshore, even far from traditional oil/gas production area. It is expected that interest and investment in deep-sea exploration and production would keep growing.

Investment in offshore vessel & facility in 2013 is predicted to record 639 orders, increased by 31% from 489 vessels/units in 2012, according to Clarkson Research and industry sources.

On the basis of demand for new facilities by field development and replacement demand after facility demolition, placing orders for offshore vessel & facility, including conversion into mobile production facility, would expand this year. However, 2012 saw a slight decline against the previous year.

In the long term, from 2014 to 2018, an yearly average of 686 vessels/units are estimated to be ordered, comparing with the yearly average of 649 vessels during 2005-2011. As for offshore supply vessel and rig fleet, expanded supply is expected, however, ordering would increase as well, along with rising demand. Also, demand for ships and facilities to be operated in deep long-distance sea and harsh environment would also resulted in demand increase.

2007 reached a high record of offshore investment, with 962 vessels contracted - 279 vessels for survey and development, 54 for production and logistics, 629 support vessels. Since then, the number of orders placed were estimated 463 vessels in 2009, 588 in 2010, 511 in 2011 and 277 in the first nine months of 2012.

An average prices of offshore vessel and facility per one unit sharply increased to $85m in 2012 from $38m in 2007. As of the end of 2012, newbuilding price of 200-ton BP AHTS marked $62.5m, while 4,000-dwt PSV was priced $44.8m, jack-up rig $190m-220m, semi-submersible drilling rig $550m-600m, drillship $530m-580m, etc.

Meanwhile, as of November 2012, global offshore fleet, including fixed structures, stood at overall 19,644 vessels/units, of them mobile offshore fleet recorded 11,691 vessels. Mobile offshore fleet has been expanding by 4% in yearly average since 1996, particularly, supply vessel segment, including AHTS and PSV, has grown by about 100% since early 1996.

Delivery of offshore fleet reached a peak in 2009, with 791 newbuildings having hit the water - 211 vessels for survey and development, 47 for production and logistics, 533 supply vessels. Since then, delivery declined - 726 vessels in 2010, 548 in 2011 and estimated 520 in 2012.

Offshore orderbook, as of November 2012, stood at 1,354 vessels/units or $159.2bn, of them 1,197 vessels being mobile fleet. As for orderbook of mobile offshore vessel/unit, China marked 357 vessels (30%), Korea 112 (9%), Brasil 112 (9%), Singapore 89 (7%), USA 83 (7%) and Japan 21 (2%), etc.

Meanwhile, an yearly average of 61 old offshore vessel/units, from 2007 to 2010, were scrapped, maintaining to be lower recycling activity. Since 82 vessels scrapped in 2010, 76 vessels went to recycling facilities in 2011 and estimated 55 vessels in 2012.