HD Hyundai, Hanwha delivers 1st of 12 container ships to HMM

South Korea’s top container line HMM Co. said on Wednesday that it held a naming ceremony for HMM Garnet, a 13,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container ship delivered from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. and Hanwha Ocean Co.

It is the first vessel to be delivered among the 12 ships HMM ordered in June 2021. The sea carrier signed a contract with HD Hyundai and Hanwha at the time to expand its fleet of eco-friendly vessels.

HMM said the new vessel, 335 meters in length, is strong even operating at low speed, and is more fuel-efficient than other ships of the same size. The vessel can monitor its operation in real-time and has enhanced technologies of satellite and land communications, HMM added. 

It is a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-ready vessel as the ship was designed to be easily converted for LNG fuel use in the future to reduce carbon emissions, HMM added.

The new vessel will start its service on Feb. 3 on the East Coast of the US. The sea route is where HMM operates alongside the global shipping network THE Alliance.

HMM is set to receive delivery of the other 11 units of 13,000 TEU ships by the end of this year.

Upon delivery, HMM’s container capacity will reach 1 million TEU, with ships of 10,000 TEU or above making up 80% of the company’s total fleet. HMM expects the expanded fleet will improve cost competitiveness and operational efficiency.

The company will be the world’s only carrier with more than 80% of its fleet 10,000 TEU or greater container ships, HMM said.

"HMM is the only global carrier with more than 80% of its fleet in the 10,000 TEU class," said the company.

With the delivery and naming of the new vessel, HMM will stand shoulder to shoulder with global shipping companies and contribute to the Korean shipping industry and the economy, said its Chief Executive Kim Kyung-bae.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com

Jihyun Kim edited this article.