HD KSOE to build LNG container vessels for Taiwanese shipper

A sea trial for the 11,700 twenty-foot equivalent unit container ship built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries [HD HYUNDAI]

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) won a 1.24-trillion-won ($937.36 million) contract to construct five massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) container ships for a Taiwanese shipper.

HD KSOE, the intermediate shipbuilding holding company of HD Hyundai, said Thursday it has inked an agreement with Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, a Taiwanese container shipping company to build five 15,500 twenty-foot equivalent unit LNG-powered vessels. They will measure 365 meters (1,200 feet) in length, 51 meters in width, and 29.85 meters in height.

The construction will take place at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Ulsan.

Deliveries are expected to commence in 2026.

The company emphasized that equipping the ships with LNG propulsion engines will ensure compliance with the stringent environmental regulations set by the International Maritime Organization.

Global market researcher Clarkson Research predicted rising demand for eco-friendly vessels in line with an economic recovery in China.

"We will lead the eco-friendly high-value ship market by prioritizing technology development that aligns with market changes and customer demands, while also focusing on selective orders that prioritize profitability,” the company said in a release.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]