HMM awards HD Hyundai a $1.46 BN containership contract

South Korea’s HD Hyundai reports that it has secured an order worth around $1.46 billion from HMM for eight ultra-large containerships worth around $1.46 billion, recording the largest container ship order volume in 18 years since the shipbuilding supercycle in 2007.

Placed with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), the intermediate holding company for HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding business, the HMM contract is for eight 13,400-TEU dual-fuel containerships.

The vessels ordered are 337 meters in length, 51 meters in width, and 27.9 meters in height. They are equipped with LNG dual-fuel engines and a significantly enlarged fuel tank—expanded by approximately 50%—to enhance operational efficiency.

Two of the eight HMM vessels will be built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and six by HD Hyundai Samho, with deliveries scheduled consecutively through the first half of 2029.

With this contract, HD Hyundai has achieved its largest container-ship order volume since 2007, when global cargo demand peaked during the economic boom (793,473 TEU).

HD KSOE has now secured orders for a total of 720,000 TEU (69 vessels) in containerships this year, marking the highest order volume among Korean shipbuilders.

HD Hyundai says that the containerships that it builds are regarded as highly cost-competitive when considering operating expenses over the vessel’s entire lifecycle, despite their relatively higher prices compared to competitors.

Since 2023, HD Hyundai has applied HiNAS Control—an autonomous navigation assistance system developed by Avikus, a subsidiary specializing in autonomous navigation—to newly built vessels. Actual operational data has confirmed that the system’s autonomous navigation support features and RPM optimization deliver a 15% reductionin carbon emissions and a 15% improvement in fuel efficiency.

“We are further solidifying our position in the global market based on advanced technological capabilities and customer trust,” said an HD Hyundai spokesperson. “Going forward, we will continue to lead the decarbonization of the shipbuilding and shipping industries through technological competitiveness focused on eco-friendly and high-efficiency vessels.”

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