바다 위 LNG 혁명, 삼성중공업이 쏘아 올린 8조 원의 ‘초격차’ 신호탄 > K-wave Trends

Samsung Heavy Industries' recent order streak began with the U.S. Delfin project on the 2nd and continued with the signing of a main contract with an African shipowner on the 8th, sending a powerful shockwave through the market. Combined, these two contracts are worth approximately 8 trillion won, serving as the driving force that has instantly fulfilled 69% of Samsung Heavy Industries' annual order target of $13.9 billion. Notably, this achievement already exceeds the company's total order performance from last year by 22%. Having already secured a solid backlog in the merchant vessel sector through LNG carriers and gas carriers, high-value offshore plants like FLNG are effectively acting as a dual-engine for profitability improvement.

The key secret to Samsung Heavy Industries' ability to maintain such overwhelming competitive edge is its standardization strategy based on a "Lessons Learned" system. By systematically analyzing the vast data accumulated from executing numerous past projects, the company has succeeded in optimizing every process from design to trial operation. This has moved away from the conventional practice of designing from scratch for every individual project, resulting in maximized engineering perfection and a dramatic increase in production efficiency. Industry experts predict that this FLNG standardization model, which Samsung Heavy Industries realized for the first time in the world, will become the new benchmark for the global offshore plant ordering market.

FLNG is a complex offshore plant that handles the entire process from natural gas extraction to liquefaction, storage, and offloading at sea, making it so technically intensive that it is considered the pinnacle of shipbuilding technology. As the instability of the global energy supply chain has recently intensified, the economic value of FLNG, which avoids the various risks associated with land-based plant construction, has risen even further. To date, Samsung Heavy Industries has won 7 out of the 11 new FLNG units ordered worldwide, recording a market share of 64%. This unrivaled performance was possible not just because of construction capability, but because of the technical depth to provide customized solutions optimized for the complex marine environments required by clients.

The African project is already well underway due to preliminary work contracts, with the production of upper modules currently in full swing. This facility, scheduled for delivery in 2028, is expected to become a vital hub for meeting future global energy demand. Through such large-scale projects, Samsung Heavy Industries is further strengthening its selective order strategy focused on high-value vessel types and is continuing thorough preparations for multiple FLNG inquiries currently under discussion. This is interpreted as a reflection of the management's will to pursue substantial, profitability-centered growth rather than mere outward expansion.

Performance in the merchant vessel sector is also remarkable. Samsung Heavy Industries has already achieved 91% of its annual merchant vessel target by winning a total of 28 vessels, including 14 LNG carriers, as well as ethane carriers, gas carriers, and crude oil tankers. This suggests that Samsung Heavy Industries' sophisticated portfolio strategy—securing base profits from merchant vessels and maximizing profitability through FLNG—is working perfectly. The balanced growth of the merchant and offshore sectors has provided Samsung Heavy Industries with a robust profit structure that remains unshaken despite changes in the global shipbuilding market, which will serve as a key engine for maintaining its "super-gap" competitiveness in the industry.