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HANJIN Shipping has ordered five 8,600-TEU ships to upgrade its current main fleet which consists of 4,000-TEU, 5,000-TEU and 8,000-TEU vessels, said a company statement.
The shipping line said it will shortly be the first Korean company to own five 10,000-TEU containerships, which were ordered last year.
Hanjin president and chief executive JW Park met officials from Hyundai Heavy Industry including its CEO Gil-sun Choi at Hanjin's head office in Seoul May 3 to sign a contract for the containerships as well as for two capesized and two panamax bulkers. The other two ships will be ordered at a Japanese shipyard in May.
Hanjin's main fleet consists of fifty 4,000 to 5,000-TEU ships operating on Asia-US/Europe routes, the company's main service lanes.
Hanjin Shipping has been expanding its major fleet in response to the demands for mega ships worldwide. The company deployed five 8,000-TEU ships on US routes in late 2005. It also ordered eight newbuilds of 6,500 TEU in 2003 and 2004 to deploy on its Asia-Europe routes in July last year.
As the 10,000-TEU newbuilds ordered last year are to be deployed from early 2010, the additional five containerships of 8,600 TEU this year will operate on the European strings with the five 8,000-TEU ships already serving US routes.
Currently the company is operating some 200 vessels in the 1,000-TEU range as well as bulk and LNG ships, on its 60 scheduled and non-scheduled routes worldwide.
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