According to a report released by the U.K.-based industry monitor Clarkson Research Services Ltd. on Tuesday, Korean shipbuilders last month clinched the biggest orders worth 130,000 compensated gross tons (CGTs) or nine ships. China and Japan obtained orders of seven ships worth 110,000 CGT and two ships amounting to 40,000 CGT, respectively.

Korea regained No.1 ranking in global new ship order for the first time since May when China snatched the crown from Korea. Korean shipyards ranked first in July according to Clarkson’s initial data, but they were squeezed out by Chinese peers in the July final data revised later to reflect orders Chinese shipyards reported after the preliminary data was out. The U.K. research firm often amends its monthly ship order data to reflect delayed order reports from shipbuilders.

Based on the order volume between January and August this year, China is still the world’s No. 1 in new ship orders after it secured the biggest number of ship orders worth 4.22 million CGT or 195 ships, followed by Korea with 104 ships worth 3.48 million CGT.

World’s cumulative new order volume in the January-August period was up 40.9 percent to 12.73 million CGT or 489 vessels from 9.03 million CGT or 404 ships a year ago. Global new orders in August, however, reached 51 CGT or 33 ships, making up only one third of July’s 1.57 million CGT or 44 ships.

As of late August, global ship order backlog amounted to 74.71 million CGT, hovering below 80 million CGT for six months in a row. “Amid dwindling orders, Korean shipyards are expected to continue to grappling with restructuring for a while,” an unnamed official from the shipbuilding industry said.

By country, China recorded the largest order backlog of 25.83 million CGT (34.6%), followed by Japan and Korea with 16.12 million CGT (21.6%) and 16.10 million CGT (21.6%), respectively.

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