HANJIN Heavy Industries & Construction’s Yeongdo Shipyard continues to win bids
HHIC’s Yeongdo Shipyard has continued to win bids in the second half of the year. On November 4, the shipbuilder announced that it signed a nearly US 200 million dollar contract to build two 180,000 DWT bulk carriers and one PKX-B with a European shipping company, HHIC said in its press release.
The 180,000 DWT bulk carrier is the state-of-the-art vehicle (292 m in length, 45 m in width) with a service speed of 15 knots.
This high-efficiency vessel which has improved fuel efficiency by more than 20% through eco-design and installation of the energy-saving system will be built in HHIC’s Yeongdo Shipyard and handed over at the end of 2016.
An official from the HHIC said, “The shipping company which signed this contract once had business with us before. They satisfied with our vessel so that they wanted to place an additional order”. He added, “We expect increase in revenue from the consecutive construction of a vessel of the same model”.
HHIC also unveiled that it was named ‘the builder of the NO. 1 patrol vessel’ in the PKX-B Batch-I aimed to replace the ROK Navy’s old PKM.
Meanwhile, the first shipbuilder in Korea built the Yunyeongha-class patrol boat under the PKX-A project and handed it over the ROK Navy in 2005. Since then, it has built a total of 8 patrol killer guide missiles.
The next-generation PKM (PKX-B) to be constructed by the HHIC is as large as 300 tons. With a 76 mm gun and even guided rock, it features a ground support system as well as naval gunfire. When it is armed, Korea will be able to immediately respond to any North Korean patrol boat crossing the Northern Limit Line (NLL).
HHIC’s Yeongdo Shipyard won the bids to built 15 vessels in total including special ships last year. This year, it has signed contracts to build two 180,000 DWT bulk carriers and world’s first LNB bunkering vessel. With the addition of three vessels, the company has booked enough advance orders for two years of production (until late 2016).
An official from the HHIC said, “The winning of the bids to build the common merchant vessels and special boat (No. 1 patrol boat in the next-generation PKM project) has proven the excellence of Yeongdo Shipyard”. He added, “We expect that this success would further increase orders and significantly improve our global reputation”.