HD Hyundai inks agreement with US-based Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) to build mid-sized LNG dual-fuel containerships built in the US.
The partnership between the South Korean shipbuilder and ECO aims to start building vessels in the US by 2028.
ECO operates five shipyards across the US and is best known for its production of offshore support vessels. It would be Chouest's first venture into building container ships.
HD Hyundai will provide vessel design, procurement agency services, technical construction support, and selected prefabricated blocks, while also investing in technology assets to support the effort.
“Through this collaboration with ECO, we will actively support the revival of America’s shipbuilding industry and its broader national security goals,” said an HD Hyundai spokesperson.
This agreement follows a string of recent moves by HD Hyundai to strengthen its US presence.
The US has moved to revitalise its shipbuilding sector, which currently accounts for less than 1% of global output. Another Korean shipbuilding major, Hanwha Ocean, has vowed to transform Philly Shipyard, which it acquired last year.
Chouest has a shipyard capable of accommodating midsize merchant ships. It owns a repair yard with four graving docks, Tampa Ship, which is capable of handling ships up to 150,000 dwt and 300 metres in length. The site has a 34-foot-deep drydock channel and access to a 43-foot channel for transits.
Chouest and HD Hyundai's partnership may extend beyond container ships. In a statement, they said that there could be room for expansion into other vessel classes and asset types, like port cranes.
