HJ Shipbuilding & Construction wins order for 4 container ships worth W678.9b

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction announced Wednesday that it has secured an order for four 10,100-TEU container ships from an Oceania-based shipping company, in a deal worth 678.9 billion won ($499 million).

The latest contract brings HJ Shipbuilding & Construction's total order book for the year to eight vessels of the same class. The Busan-based shipbuilder had previously won its first 10,000-TEU-class container ship order for its Yeongdo shipyard in February, then added two more in April. The cumulative orders have strengthened its competitiveness in the mid-to-large container ship market and established a foundation for building large container ships as a new strategic vessel type at the Yeongdo yard.

The 10,000-TEU-class container ship is the largest vessel type the company can build at the Yeongdo shipyard's dry dock and was developed in-house. The design incorporates high-efficiency propulsion and hull technology into a hull form favored by the market, with a focus on reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The ship also features enhanced reefer container capacity — used for refrigerated and frozen cargo — to meet demand for high-value freight transport.

The vessel also addresses tightening International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations through eco-friendly specifications. It is equipped with a sulfur oxide scrubber and a methanol-ready design, broadening shipowners' options for transitioning to cleaner fuels and securing long-term operational competitiveness.

"By securing a total of eight orders this year for container ships of the same type and hull form, we will be able to maximize the repeat-build effect across the entire process — from design and material procurement to production," a company official said. "This will also help strengthen production efficiency and cost competitiveness."