On September 9, South Korea’s HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (formerly “HANJIN Heavy Industries & Construction”) announced that it had signed a contract with an Oceania shipping company to build four 8850TEU-class environmentally friendly container ships with a total value of 640 billion won (about US$460 million), with each ship costing approximately US$115 million.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has secured an order for container ships featuring the latest high-efficiency hull design. These environmentally friendly ships achieve greenhouse gas reductions through outstanding fuel efficiency. The newbuilds will be constructed at HJ Shipbuilding & Construction’s Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan, with delivery to the shipowner scheduled to commence in 2027.
This series of container ships, similar to HJ Shipbuilding & Construction’s recent focus on environmentally friendly ships, are designed with maximum fuel efficiency and container capacity at their core. To comply with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) sulfur oxide emissions limits, the ships will be equipped with scrubbers and feature a methanol-ready design, enabling the use of methanol as a propulsion power source in the future, contributing to the transition to carbon-neutral shipping.
As global environmental regulations accelerate the decarbonization trend, ships utilizing next-generation eco-friendly fuels such as LNG, methanol, and ammonia are rapidly entering the market. Starting with the construction of a 9,000 TEU methanol-fueled container ship for South Korean owner HMM, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has also committed to expanding its presence in the eco-friendly shipbuilding market. The company recently secured an order for one LNG bunkering ship.
An HJ Shipbuilding & Construction representative stated, “This latest contract represents a follow-up order from our previous shipowner based on their consideration of the delivery schedule, specifications, and quality. It signifies recognition of our shipbuilding technology in the environmentally friendly container ship market. We will repay the shipowner’s trust by building environmentally friendly, high-quality ships while adhering to strict delivery schedules.”