HC Deb 16 February 1993 vol 219 c122W
Mr. Hutton

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the future world demand for new merchant ships; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Sainsbury

It is not possible to make an accurate forecast of future world demand for merchant ships. However, it is generally expected that there will be an upturn in demand in the second half of the decade. It is likely that existing world merchant ship capacity will be adequate to meet the demand.