CMA CGM places order for 8 super-large containerships

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (HHI) contracted an order for eight 11,400TEU containerships with its long-time client, CMA-CGM in France. The order is valued at US$1.2 billion and is the largest newshipbuilding order as a single contract in the world.

The ships will be equipped with the world’s largest 98,000bhp marine engines and sail at a speed of 24.7 knot with 11,400 twenty-foot containers. It will measure 363m in length, 45.6m in width and 29.7m in depth and be delivered from mid 2009 to mid 2010.

This order is significant as it demonstrates CMA-CGM’s trust in HHI’s technology and capability. The shipowner, based in France has already ordered 17 ships from HHI, some of which have been delivered and are operating on the line, while others are under construction at HHI’s yard.

Including this eight 11,400TEU containership order, HHI has received 45 large containership orders including 13 for its affiliate, Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries(HSHI) so far this year, reverberating its dominance in the very large containership market. HHI now has 21 super-large containerships of 10,000 TEU capacity and over on its backlog (including HSHI).

This year, HHI has won 115 ships worth US$12.1 billion, bringing its total order backlog to 340 ships, worth more than US$33 billion(including HSHI). HHI will be occupied with its shipbuilding work over the next three years.