HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering announced it has secured an order worth Won3.7trn ($2.6bn) for 12 LNG dual-fuel containerships.

The South Korean builder did not reveal the identity of the shipowner, only referring to it as “a shipping company based in Europe”. But Lloyd's List understands the 15,000 teu class newbuildings were placed by CMA CGM.

Four to five ships are scheduled for delivery in 2027, with the remainder set for the following year, sources said.

CMA CGM has been approached for comment.

The French company, the world’s third-largest container shipping carrier, has 72 vessels totalling 1.1m teu on order. This accounts for 29% of its existing fleet and represents the second-largest orderbook, second only to Mediterranean Shipping Company.

Although the total containership orderbook has exceeded 8m teu at the end of 2024, hitting an all-time high and representing 27% of the existing global fleet, carriers do not seem to have halted their ordering spree yet.

“Various projects for series of post-panamax tonnage for end users are still being progressed — both in China and indeed South Korea,” said MB Shipbrokers in its latest weekly report.

HD KSOE said the vessels will be built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and are scheduled for delivery by December 2028.

The deal marks a strong start for the builder towards its $18bn order target for the year.