Samsung Heavy Industries of South Korea remains strong, having already reached 38% of 2012 new order target.
Analyst Huh Sung-Duk, Hi Investment & Securities said on March 19, "Samsung contracted one drillship on March 16, as Pacific drilling, which had kept postponing the optional deadline, finally exercised the drillship option."
Added, "The US drillship owner has booked a total of seven drillship ordering at Samsung."
The Geojae-based shipbuilder has contracted two drillship and one with Seadrill and Pacific drilling this year. Also, it inked two LNG carriers from Golar LNG, one central processing facility from Inpex.
Samsung has contracted a total of $4.8bn from shipbuilding/offshore sectors year-to-date, up from $2.5bn on the same period last year.
With recently high charter rate for drillship, it is expected that Samsung would contract additional drillships.