A Samsung Heavy Industries' LNG carrier / Courtesy of Samsung Heavy Industries

Korea fell to second place in new global shipbuilding orders in February, with China taking over the lead, industry data showed Friday.

Korean shipyards clinched orders totaling 290,000 compensated gross tons (CGTs) for seven ships, accounting for 14 percent of the global total at 2.07 million CGTs last month, according to London-based Clarkson Research Services.

China ranked No. 1 with 1.35 million CGTs for 37 vessels, taking up 65 percent of the global total.

Korea's monthly performance marks a significant drop from January, when it accounted for 62 percent of global orders, while China accounted for 19 percent of all new orders.

In terms of order backlog, China ranked first with 90.75 million CGTs, or 58 percent of the global total at 156.34 million CGTs as of the end of January, which was down 2.94 million CGTs from a month earlier.

Korea ranked second with 36.67 million CGTs, accounting for 23 percent of the world total.

Clarkson's Newbuilding Price Index, a barometer of price changes in newly built ships, came to 188.36 last month, up 6.97 points from a year ago. (Yonhap)