HMD Tanker Builder
Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD), once the world’s top maker of mid-size product/chemical tankers (PC tankers), regained its position as the top PC tanker maker by receiving an order for six tankers.
There are virtually no orders placed for shipbuilding these days, so acquiring a considerably higher-than-average US$30.8 million per tanker means HMD’s ecoship technology has been highly evaluated in the industry.
With this order, HMD reached 41 percent of this year’s goal of US$3.5 billion by acquiring the order for a total of 35 vessels for US$1.44 billion, including 18 mid-size PC tankers, in the first half of this year.
HMD announced that it signed a contract for six 25,000-DWT PC tankers for US$185 million with the U.S.’s Alterna Capital on June 30.
The specification of these ships is 169M in length, 25.6M in width, and 15.6M in height. Construction will begin in May 2015 and the last ship will be dispatched in Sept. 2016.
This time, the ships will include all of the world’s top ecoship technology of HMD. The electronically-controlled engine enables the valve for fuel injection to be controlled by each cylinder, and the installation of a ballast water treatment system can prevent the disturbance of the marine ecosystem.
It’s the first time HMD is building this type of PC tanker, which are smaller than it usually builds. So, by maximizing the use of dock space, the productivity of construction can be increased.
Last year, Alterna Capital ordered the construction of four 50,000 ton PC tankers to HMD, showing a deep trust in the company.
Seventy percent of a total of 256 ships HMD has taken orders for are PC tankers, helping HMD build a reputation as the PC tanker specialist.