HMM orders eight LNG-capable container ships
The Korean Shipbuilding company HMM has ordered eight 13,000 TEU LNG-capable container ships from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Samho for about KRW 2 trillion ($1.5 billion).
IMAGE: An HMM container vessel. HMM
The ships will be able to run on LNG or conventional marine fuels and will be delivered in a phased manner from 2029.
The vessels are to be deployed on its Far East-India-Mediterranean service, the company said.
The company has also picked up four feeder vessels through resale agreements - three of 2,800 TEU and one of 1,700 TEU. These vessels will run on regional networks, linking major hub ports.
In November last year, it launched the fourth of seven methanol-capable container ships being built at HD Hyundai Samho. In September, it ordered eight 210,000-dwt bulk carriers able to run on methanol, ethanol and conventional fuels for a 25-year iron ore contract with Vale, with deliveries from 2030.
Other container lines have also ordered LNG-capable tonnage. Maersk ordered eight 18,600 TEU ships from New Times Shipbuilding in February, for delivery in 2029-2030. OOCL ordered 12 ships of 13,600 TEU from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in April, its first LNG-capable order. COSCO Shipping Lines has ordered 12 at Jiangnan Shipyard for delivery in 2028-2029.
There are currently 254 LNG-capable container ships in operation globally, with another 476 on order, according to DNV data. Across all ship types, over 800 vessels can run on LNG.
By Gautamee Hazarika
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