An aerial view of Samsung Heavy Industries' shipyard in Geoje. [Samsung Heavy Industries]
An aerial view of Samsung Heavy Industries' shipyard in Geoje. [Samsung Heavy Industries]

Samsung Heavy Industries has achieved its annual merchant ship order target ahead of schedule.

The company announced Monday that it secured an order for two crude oil carriers from a European shipping firm for 268 billion won ($187 million). The vessels are scheduled for delivery by August 2029.

Samsung Heavy Industries' cumulative merchant ship orders this year stand at 34 vessels totaling $5.8 billion, reaching 102 percent of its $5.7 billion target. By vessel type, the orders comprise 14 LNG carriers (including one LNG floating storage and regasification unit), two ethane carriers, four gas carriers, two container ships and 12 crude oil carriers.

Including two offshore floating liquefied natural gas units and other projects, the company's total cumulative orders this year reached $10.2 billion, or 73 percent of its annual target of $13.9 billion.

"With orders continuing to flow in, centered on LNG carriers and crude oil carriers, our merchant ship division is on track having met its order guidance ahead of schedule this year," a company official said. The official added that the company plans to focus more on selective, profitability-driven orders and respond flexibly to shifts in demand through global operations.

Meanwhile, Samsung Heavy Industries posted an operating profit of 325 billion won in the second quarter of this year on a consolidated basis, up 58.7 percent from the same period a year earlier. Sales rose 20.4 percent to 3.23 trillion won.


yeongdai@heraldcorp.com