According to a report from the Kyodo news service, the combined tonnage for ship orders received by South Korean shipbuilders was higher than that of Japanese shipbuilders in 2002.
The Shipbuilders' Association of Japan reported that Japanese shipbuilders received orders worth a combined 5.9 million tons in the year, down 25.9% from 2001.
South Korean shipbuilders reportedly received orders for a combined 7.59 million tons, up 18.4%, according to data from the Korea Shipbuilding Industry Association.
In 2001, Japan was the top shipbuilder based on tonnage.