Samsung Heavy adds $1.7 bn deal from Eurasian shipper, overachieves annual target

Samsung Heavy Industries Co. joined other Korean shipbuilding majors to overachieve its annual target by adding $1.7 billion deal to supply blocks, parts and designs for seven shuttle tankers to an unidentified shipper in Eurasia in its order book.

The components will be delivered to an unidentified shipper in Eurasia by early 2027, said the builder in its disclosure.

Russia’s state-run natural gas producer Novatek under the Arctic LNG2 project is presumed to be the contractor.

Foreign media earlier reported that Samsung Heavy Industries is in final talks with a Russian consortium led by Novatek to sign a deal to build seven icebreaking shuttle tankers and six ice-resistant LNG carriers including two options for the Russia’s major natural gas project.

With the latest addition, the Korean shipbuilder has attracted total $10.3 billion orders for 71 ships – 13 LNG carriers, 44 container vessels and 14 crude carriers, achieving beyond target of $9.1 billion for this year which was revised up from previous $7.8 billion amid signs of market recovery in May.

Total orders have exceeded $10 billion for the first time since its 2007 heyday when it bagged $12.6 billion orders.

On the same day, Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. (KSOE) also added a 416 billion won ($350 million) worth order for two vast large container vessels powered by eco-friendly fuel engines from an unidentified shipper in Marshall Islands.

The order will be carried out dockyard of Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries to deliver the ships by the first half of 2024. The shipyards under KSOE have netted a combined $19.9 billion orders to beat the annual target of $14.9 billion. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering which set target at $7.7 billion won $8 billion worth so far.

The heyday has only started, given the strict environmental regulations by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Annual shipbuilding orders are estimated to grow to 1,900 units on average from 2023 to 2031, nearly double the orders of 2020, according to a report published by British shipbuilding and marine industry tracker Clarkson Research Services last month.

“Under the global green commitments, demand for high-efficiency eco-friendly vessels is strong. We’re aiming to add more orders within this year,” said a company official.

Samsung Heavy Industries has maintained lead in the global order book with order backlog reaching over 7.04 million compensated gross tonnage (CGT) as of the end of August, the largest for seven consecutive months for a single shipyard.

Samsung Heavy Industries shares closed 1.62 percent lower at 6,060 won in Seoul on Monday. KSOE lost 1.64 percent to finish at 95,700 won.

[ⓒ Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]