South Korean shipbuilders won the least orders last month but their accumulated order intake overwhelms their major rivals in China.
According to Clarksons, Korean yards won 10-ship orders, 390,000 cgt worth $892m in September.
The figure is way down from $7.4bn won in June alone.
Chinese also showed slump with 19-ship orders, 350,000 cgt worth $839m last month.
By the third quarter of this year Korean yards have secured 299-ship orders, 12m cgt worth $43.6bn occupying half of world newbuilding orders for 932 vessels, 23.5m cgt.
During the same nine-month period, Chinese yards won 383-ship orders, 7.35m cgt worth $13.4bn, taking 31% of world orders.
As of the end of September, Chinese orderbook stood at 2,830 ships, 49.4m cgt just ahead of South Korea with 1,333 ships, 42.2m cgt.