The shipbuilding industry is expected to remain one of the biggest contributors to Korea’s economy in 2026, supported by rising demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers in the United States and the full-scale launch of the “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA)” project. The industry’s business sentiment for the first quarter of 2026 rose 19 points from the previous quarter to 96, well above the overall average of 77, according to a recent survey conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Korea Economic Research Institute also projected that higher ship and semiconductor exports will play a key role in increasing the nation’s total exports by 0.8 percent in 2026. “The shipbuilding industry will continue receiving a healthy amount of orders, particularly for high-value-added vessels and naval ships,” the institute said. Despite a global downturn in shipbuilding orders in 2025 — which nearly halved the volume of orders placed with Chinese firms — Korea’s three major shipbuilders still met their annual order targets. HD Korea Shipbuilding