HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) announced on Jan. 29 that it recently signed a contract with an Asian shipping company for the construction of a very large ethane carrier (VLEC), with a total order value of about 230 billion won (about $172 million).
The new VLEC will be built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Ulsan Shipyard and is expected to be delivered in March 2027.
Together with the latest order, HD KSOE has taken orders for 33 new ships worth $3.17 billion this year, achieving 25.4 % of its annual order target of $13.5 billion.
By vessel type, it includes 2 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, 15 product tankers, 15 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)/ammonia carriers, and 1 VLEC.
HD KSOE’s order target for 2024 is “conservative” compared to 2023, as the company has already secured construction for at least the next three years.
