The South Korean group orders 12 dual-fuel LNG container ships and two supertankers, continuing the fleet diversification and decarbonization strategy
Seoul – The South Korean shipowner Hmm has announced an investment plan of 4,000 billion won (approximately 2.8 billion dollars) for the construction of 12 13,000 teu container ships and two Vlcc tankers.
The new container ships, equipped with dual-fuel LNG propulsion, will be built by the national shipyards Hd Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean. The company explained that, in light of the increasingly stringent IMO and European Union regulations on decarbonization, liquefied natural gas represents one of the most immediate solutions for reducing emissions in maritime transport.
In addition to the container ships, Hmm has ordered two Vlccs at an unspecified shipyard, with the aim of expanding its business also outside the container sector.
The company has also started a phase of fleet expansion and diversification in recent months: in September it began receiving seven new car carrier ships, commissioned four multipurpose units and two Mr chemical tankers, and signed a ten-year contract for the transport of dry bulk with the Brazilian mining company Vale, worth 430 billion won (approximately 300 million dollars).
