South Korean shipbuilder HJ Heavy Industries has signed a construction contract with an unnamed ship owner in the Oceania region for four 8,850 TEU containerships.
The total value of the contract is KRW640 billion ($467 million).
HJ Heavy said the new vessels are designed to reduce local emissions and improve fuel efficiency.
To comply with the International Maritime Organisation’s regulations on sulphur oxide emissions, the ships will be equipped with a scrubber. They will also be constructed as methanol-ready vessels, capable of using methanol fuel as propulsion in the future, according to the builder.
The company stated it has been building a reputation in the mid-sized ship sector by winning orders for 5,500 to 9,000 TEU container ships that are optimised for its main site, the Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan, where the new vessels will be built.
Yoo Sang-cheol, CEO of HJ Heavy Industries, said, “This contract is an example of an existing ship owner placing additional orders while being satisfied with the delivery date, specifications, and quality.”
The four ships are scheduled to be delivered sequentially starting in 2027.