A rush of vessel orders inked by shipowners before new cyber security rules come into force next month has sparked a supply chain crunch at shipyards.

One shipbroker told TradeWinds his company had helped close to 30 contracts in one week, although the overall number signed is unclear.

“It’s a big supply chain issue for the shipyard,” one shipbuilding expert said, with the costs estimated upwards of $250,000 a vessel.