In a significant milestone, HMM held the naming ceremony of its premier 13,000 TEU container ship HMM Garnet at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries headquarters in Ulsan, South Korea.
Underlining their commitment to expansion and environmental responsibility, HMM signed a formal contract in June 2021 with Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for the construction of twelve 13,000 TEU vessels (six from each ship builder). HMM Garnet stands as the inaugural vessel among the dozen.
With a focus on environmental sustainability, HMM aims to boost its eco-friendly profile through the addition of these twelve state-of-the-art 13,000 TEU boxships. All vessels are designed to be LNG-ready, incorporating advanced energy-saving technologies to enhance fuel efficiency and curb pollutant emissions.
A noteworthy highlight of these vessels is the integration of cutting-edge smart ship solutions. Operational data from each ship will be seamlessly transmitted to HMM’s Fleet Control Center in real time, ensuring comprehensive visibility and control over the entire fleet
“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,” stated Kim, Kyung Bae, president and CEO of HMM.
Starting this February, HMM Garnet will operate along the East Coast 1 (EC1) route as part of THE Alliance’s strategic plan. The port rotation for HMM Garnet will be Kaohsiung, Taiwan – Xiamen, China – Yantian, China – Shanghai, China – Ningbo, China – Busan, South Korea – Yantian, China – New York, US – Norfolk, US – Charleston, US – Savannah, US – Singapore.
With the anticipated delivery of the remaining eleven 13,000 TEU vessels later this year, HMM’s total fleet capacity is poised to reach 1 million TEUs. Notably, vessels exceeding 10,000 TEUs will constitute 80% of HMM’s overall fleet.
According to the company’s statement, the twelve 13,000 TEU vessels will bear the names of birthstones from January to December, meaning that “we [HMM] will make the customer’s cargo as valuable as jewelry”.
