Chinese shipbuilders overtook South Korean yards in monthly orders for large liquefied natural gas carriers in October, winning five of seven vessels ordered worldwide, according to Clarksons Research. South Korean builders secured two. Korea remains ahead in cumulative orders for the first 10 months, with 44 vessels, or 57.9%, compared with China’s 32 vessels, or 42.1%. China’s tally has surged from three orders for all of last year. Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding and Jiangnan Shipyard account for much of China’s momentum, supported by lower prices, domestic cargo owners and expanding LNG-carrier capacity. The shift challenges Korea’s long-standing advantage in a technically demanding market, while China’s position as the world’s largest LNG importer may be helping direct orders to domestic yards.