DSME has closed the first half of 2019 with just one third of its full-year order target secured.
The South Korean shipbuilder, which is set to merge with rival Hyundai Heavy Industries, has booked deals worth $2.77bn this year.
Within merchant vessels the total stands at $1.75bn for 13 tankers and LNG carriers, with three military vessels making up the balance.
The seven VLCCs and six LNG carriers secured this year leave the yard some way short of the 41 merchant vessels worth $5.73m put in the book in the whole of 2018.
Its overall running order tally for this year compares with the $8.73m forecast at the beginning of 2019.
In an update to the market, DSME said the newbuilding market is expected to be improving continuously with global LNG demand increasing.
However, it noted Clarksons had in March cut its LNG carrier order projection and was now forecasting 40 of the ships to be booked this year, down from the 68 seen in 2018.
On the tanker front DSME said the fleet was getting younger but suggested the environmental regulations could potentially drive more orders.
DSME was less positive on the container vessel market, where it has not booked any fresh deals this year but had snared seven in 2018.
It said demand for vessels over 15,00-teu was “hardly expected” due to the current oversupplied market, while ships in the 12,000 to $15,000-teu range was “expected to a limited extent”.
Shares in DSME were up marginally at KRW 32,450 ($27.71) each on Friday.
DSME started this year with a flurry of VLCC orders in January, but has since only secured a single tanker.
That deal was announced last week with Oman Shipping Company adding a third VLCC to its tally at the yard.
