CX Daily: South Korea Likely To Outpace China In New Shipbuilding Orders In Second Half, Report Says Since last year, demand for shipping has grown rapidly, as a number of countries import more daily necessities and medical goods and equipment due to Covid-19-induced disruptions in their domestic production. Photo: VCG Shipbuilding / China is on track to be overtaken by South Korea in shipbuilding orders in the second half of the year, a new report argues, as rising raw material costs erode local shipbuilders’ advantages and discourage them to seek new business while those in their eastern neighbor rack up orders.