HANJIN Shipping of South Korea, which operates 37 container ships and 20 bulk carriers, will order three more 4,000 teu container ships by the end of this year.
M.H. Youn, director and vice-president for corporate planning, said the orders would be placed with affiliate Hanjin Heavy Industries (HHI), whose docks are fully occupied now.
He said orders for five more vessels, including two tankers of 50,000 dwt and one Capesize bulk carrier, were under discussion.
A total of 13 ships are under construction for Hanjin Shipping - five container ships of 5,000 teu, two of 4,000 teu and five 27,000 dwt bulk carriers.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin this month, starting with the 97,000 gross tonnes liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier by Hanjin Heavy Industries on September 30, and will continue until September 1997.
As newbuildings come on stream, the company is looking to sell the 17-year-old Hanjin Tonghae and Hanjin Masan, and the 1981-built Hanjin Canberra.
By the end of this year, the fleet will total 37 container ships, ranging from 400 to 4,000 teu, and 20 bulk carriers - 10 Capesize, four Panamax, five Handy and one LNG carrier.