The Japan Ship Exporters Association has reported May shipbuilding export contracts were 141,790 gross tonnes, down from 1.19 million in the previous year.

The association said orders for two freighters won in May amounted to 16,840 tonnes and orders for four bulk carriers totalling 124,950 tonnes were received.

Of the orders won in the month, 74.6 per cent were yen-denominated and the rest in foreign currencies.