HJ Heavy Industries, a medium-sized South Korean shipbuilder, is about to build its first large container ship with a capacity of over 10,000 TEU.
On December 11, HJ Heavy Industry announced that it had signed a contract with a European shipowner to build 2+2 environmentally friendly container ships of 10,100 TEU class, with a total order value of 353.2 billion Korean won (approximately US$245 million) and a unit cost of approximately US$122.5 million.
This order is significant for HJ Heavy Industries, as it marks the first time the company’s main shipbuilding base, Busan Yeongdo Shipyard, has built a large container ship with a capacity of over 10,000 TEU. While HJ Heavy Industries did not disclose the shipowner’s information, it stated that the order stemmed from the shipowner’s satisfaction with the quality of previously delivered vessels, leading to a repeat order.
HJ Heavy Industry stated that the vessel being contracted adopts the latest hull design favored by the shipping industry, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions through high fuel efficiency, making it an environmentally friendly container ship. To comply with International Maritime Organization (IMO) environmental regulations, the new ship will be equipped with desulfurization equipment and employ a highly efficient hull design for optimal navigation.
As early as 2004, HJ Heavy Industries attracted industry attention by developing the “DAM method” for underwater hull welding connections. At that time, to build container ships with a hull length exceeding 325 meters and a capacity exceeding 8000 TEU in the dry dock (less than 300 meters long) of the Busan Yeongdo Shipyard, HJ Heavy Industries constructed a watertight structure called “DAM” within the dry dock before commencing construction. Subsequently, through continuous technological research and development, HJ Heavy Industries built and delivered a 9000 TEU methanol-fueled container ship in 2025 that did not require the “DAM method.”
To secure order volume, HJ Heavy Industry has focused on developing medium-sized, environmentally friendly container ships in recent years, continuously demonstrating its competitiveness in the container ship sector where it has an advantage. Since restarting its merchant shipbuilding business in 2021, and with the recent delivery of a 9,000 TEU methanol-fueled container ship to Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), all ships have adopted the hull design best suited for Yeongdo Shipyard’s dry dock.
A representative from HJ Heavy Industry stated, “Thanks to our innovative construction methods and technological strength that overcomes physical limitations, HJ Heavy Industry has secured its first order for a 10,000 TEU large container ship. The company will deliver high-quality ships on schedule to repay the shipowner’s trust and further enhance its corporate reputation in the field of medium and large environmentally friendly container ships.”