By GMM News | 2024-01-26 | International Shipping News |

South Korean shipping company HMM has announced the delivery of the HMM Garnet, the first in a series of twelve 13,000 TEU containerships.

The ship, which is LNG-ready and designed with advanced energy-saving technologies, was unveiled at a naming ceremony held at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries headquarters in Ulsan, Korea.

HMM signed a contract in June 2021 with Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to build six ships each.

HMM says the new containerships are not only environmentally friendly but also equipped with the latest smart ship solutions. Real-time operational data will be transmitted to HMM’s Fleet Control Center, providing complete visibility over the ships.

“We expect our new ships to give us strong environmental credentials and to provide us with the capacity and flexibility in the face of growing competition in the global market”, said Kim, Kyung Bae, President and CEO of HMM.

Starting in February, HMM Garnet will be deployed on the East Coast 1(EC1) route as part of HMM’s participation in THE Alliance. The route covers ports from Kaohsiung, Xiamen, Yantian, Shanghai, Ningbo, Busan, to New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, and Singapore.

Upon delivery of all twelve 13,000 TEU ships this year, HMM’s fleet capacity is set to reach a total of 1 million TEUs. Large containerships of more than 10,000 TEU will make up 80% of HMM’s entire fleet, substantially increasing its cost structure and operational efficiency.

In a symbolic gesture, the twelve 13,000 TEU vessels will bear the names of birthstones from January to December, signifying the company’s commitment to treating customer’s cargo with the same value as precious jewels.