Hanwha Shipping orders US-built LNG carrier
Hanwha Shipping, the American subsidiary of South Korean Hanwha Ocean, has ordered a US-built LNG carrier from its affiliate, Hanwha Philly Shipyard. 
IMAGE: LNG tanker at a gas terminal. Getty Images
The contract includes an order for one ship and an option for a second, with plans to gradually transfer its LNG shipbuilding expertise to the US yard.
"The vessel will be constructed with advanced technology and propulsion systems, and will be the first US-ordered, export-market-viable LNG carrier in almost 50 years, dating back to the late 1970s," Hanwha said.
The move follows an order by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on 17 April 2025 which finalized its action targeting China’s dominance in maritime and shipbuilding sector.
The order includes phased requirements mandating that at least 1% of US LNG exports be transported on US-flagged and operated vessels by 2028, and on US-built ships starting in 2029, rising to 15% by 2047.
According to this order, LNG terminal operators were required to report compliance data annually. The USTR initially included authority to suspend export licenses for non-compliance.
In June 2025, the USTR issued a proposed modification that removed the export license suspension authority, retroactive to 17 April. It also shifted reporting responsibilities from LNG terminal operators to vessel owners or operators.
USTR has maintained the phased shipping targets and is retaining a three-year grace period for foreign-built vessels if a US-built vessel of equivalent capacity had been ordered.
By Gautamee Hazarika
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