DSME and Samsung add $2.6 bn LNG carriers

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) and Samsung Heavy Industries Co. each added 2.37 trillion won ($1.7 billion) and 1.17 trillion won worth contracts to their swelling order book for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, upping the chance of South Korean shipbuilders reclaiming No. 1 rank in global vessel orders this month after losing it to China last month.

DSME disclosed it won seven orders for LNG tankers for 2.37 trillion won for delivery by February 2026. Although it has not specified where the orders came from, they are believed to be related to Qatar slot.

Qatar’s state oil and gas company QatarEnergy in June 2020 signed contracts with three Korean shipbuilding majors for dockyard slots capable for producing more than 100 LNG carriers.

DSME has been assigned with 11 orders related to the Qatar project. Its order book so far this year has reached 36 – 28 LNG carriers, 6 container carriers, and 1 offshore drilling facility -worth $8.17 billion, nearing annual target of $8.9 billion.