South Korean yards achieved a remarkable success in the past week, winning huge orders in both the merchant shipping and the naval sector. South Korean merchant shipping orders included large container ships of 23,000 TEU, a VLCC, LNG carriers and product carriers. Naval orders for a destroyer and submarine were reported in Korea. In Europe, France was reported to be set to win an order for frigates in an inter-government deal without a tender being issued. A massive order for LNG carriers for Qatar was said to be close. Despite the strong South Korean performance last week, Chinese yards won the most global orders placed in September.