Korea's mid-sized shipbuilders pivot to gas and eco ships
Daehan, K Shipbuilding and HJ are moving into VLGCs, high-efficiency tankers and alternative-fuel designs to ride the shipbuilding boom.
South Korea's mid-sized shipbuilders are accelerating into higher-value ships as construction slots at the big yards tighten. Daehan Shipbuilding, long focused on suezmax crude tankers, is preparing to enter the very large LPG carrier market, having won basic approval from Lloyd's Register and the Korean Register for an 88,000-cbm VLGC concept; it targets full sales in the second half of this year and holds 35 ships worth $3.3bn in backlog.
K Shipbuilding is upgrading mid-sized tankers into multipurpose, high-efficiency ships, winning approval for a 74,000-tonne product carrier with corrugated bulkheads, and is developing a 22,000-cbm LNG bunkering vessel and a wind-assisted tanker. HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has secured Korean Register approval for a 10,000-teu biofuel-propelled containership and partnered with HD Hyundai's Avikus on autonomous navigation.
Mid-sized yards aim to widen their order ranges with eco-friendly, high-efficiency features, though they still need to prove they can secure owners, meet delivery schedules and control costs through repeat builds.
Source: Chosun (via Maasmond Maritime press clippings).
