Korean shipbuilders received 44.1% of the orders placed around the world in the first three quarters of the year, reports Korean.net referring to a London-based market researcher.

Korea, home to seven of the world's top 10 shipyards, saw local companies clinch a record amount of orders this year from strong demand for crude carriers and offshore exploration equipment amid lofty oil prices.

Between January and September, orders won by local shipyards amounted to 17.4 million compensated gross tons (CGTs) out of orders worth 39.5 million CGT placed in the global industry, Clarkson Plc. said.

The runners-up were China with 10.5 million CGTs, Japan with 4.8 million CGTs and the European Union (EU) with 3.9 million CGTs, the researcher said.