Korean Shipyards Order Books Swell

Published Feb 3, 2004 12:01 AM by The Maritime Executive

Hyundai Heavy Industries?s Mipo Dockyard won an order for three chemical carriers from Barclay Shipping in Greece. The Mipo yard also received orders for 22 ships worth $746 million last month. The orders include six container ships that will carry 2,800 20-foot containers worth $237 million and 13 chemical carriers worth $395 million.

Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine, the world?s second largest shipbuilder, won an order to build one LNG tanker worth $157 million from TMT of Taiwan, while the medium-sized shipbuilder, STX Shipbuilding, won an order to build four 74,200-dwt oil tankers from an unidentified Greek company.

Mipo current back orders at the end of January were 132 ships worth about $4 billion, which should keep the company busy for the next three years.

Daewoo said that it expects to deliver the 145,700-cubic meter LNG tanker in 2007, but expects to win another 10 LNG ships this year. In Its December forecast, the company said that it expects to win $4.8 billion in new orders this year.