Korea’s largest shipbuilder, HD Hyundai, celebrated on Wednesday a global first with the delivery of its 5,000th vessel, highlighting the company’s leadership in the international shipbuilding industry.
Hyundai hits 5,000th vessel milestone
According to the company, the milestone vessel was the Diego Silang, a cutting-edge patrol frigate built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard for the Philippine Navy. The delivery comes 50 years after the yard began operations in 1974.
The vessel was successfully delivered in October and is one of 10 naval ships the Philippines secured from the group.
The company marked the milestone Wednesday at the HD HHI yard, with HD Hyundai Chair Chung Ki-sun, lawmakers Kim Tae-seon and Yoon Jong-o, as well as government and industry figures attending the ceremony.
“Our 5,000-vessel milestone represents the pride of Korea’s shipbuilding industry and the history of bold challenges that have reshaped the global maritime paradigm,” said Chung.
HD Hyundai, formerly under Korea’s Hyundai Group, launched its shipbuilding business with the delivery of the Atlantic Baron, a 260,000-ton-class ultralarge crude oil carrier, in the same year the Ulsan yard was completed.
To date, the group’s three shipyards — HD HHI, HD Hyundai Mipo, and HD Hyundai Samho — have delivered 2,631, 1,570 and 799 vessels, respectively, to 700 purchasers across 68 countries.
AI and green tech drive Hyundai’s next shipbuilding era
HD Hyundai notes that this milestone has not been reached even by European nations and Japan, despite their longer shipbuilding histories.
To reinforce its industrial leadership, the group has been expanding its shipbuilding portfolio. As it pursues large-scale global naval ship and submarine projects, it also plans to merge HD HHI and HD Hyundai Mipo in December to strengthen its capacity in naval vessels and broaden global shipbuilding collaboration.
It is further enhancing its technological competitiveness through advances in artificial intelligence and eco-friendly ship technologies.
“Building on this shared legacy of innovation, we will move confidently toward the next 5,000 vessels — and the next half century,” Chung added.
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Source: koreaherald
