South Korean shipbuilding giants HD Hyundai and Hanwha Ocean have confirmed receiving substantial container vessel orders from domestic liner HMM, part of an investment spree approaching US$2.2Bn
In mid-October, Riviera reported that HMM had announced orders for 12 13,000-TEU container vessels, without specifying the shipyards. Industry sources suggested the contracts were likely placed with HD Hyundai and Hanwha Ocean.
On 24 November, HD Hyundai confirmed it had signed a contract with HMM for six vessels valued at US$1.09Bn. The following day, Hyundai Heavy Industries disclosed an order from the South Korean liner for two ships worth US$364M. In its latest announcement on 28 November, Hanwha Ocean revealed that HMM had placed an order for four ships, with a contract value of approximately US$732M.
All 12 vessels are scheduled for delivery between the second half of 2028 and the first half of 2029. Shipbroking sources noted the vessels will be equipped with LNG dual-fuel propulsion.
According to Alphaliner, HMM ranks eighth among the world’s top 100 liner companies, holding a 3.1% market share. Its fleet currently comprises 95 container vessels totalling 1.0M TEU, with an additional 16 ships on the orderbook.
Beyond container vessels, HMM is also expanding into multiple shipping segments. Last month, the company disclosed an order for two VLCCs, and more recently announced a partnership with energy trader BGN in the LPG carrier market.
