SOUTH Korean shipping company HMM has welcomed the eleventh LNG-ready 13,000 TEU containership, HMM Opal, to its fleet.

HMM takes delivery of eleventh LNG-ready 13,000 TEU boxship and will sail on the PSX (Pacific South Express) route, connecting major ports in Korea and Shanghai to Los Angeles and more, HMM said.

The ship is part of the twelve-strong LNG-ready 13,000 TEU containership fleet ordered by HMM at Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2021, reports Rotterdam's Offshore Energy.

Under the contract, each shipbuilder will construct six vessels with advanced energy-saving technologies that are expected to increase fuel efficiency and reduce pollutant emissions. The ships come with LNG-ready structures for potential conversion to LNG propulsion.

The first unit from this series, HMM Garnet, was built and delivered by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in January 2024.

When the delivery of twelve 13,000 TEU ships is completed this year, HMM's fleet capacity is forecast to reach a total of 1 million TEU.

In particular, large containerships of more than 10,000 TEU will account for 80 per cent of the shipowner's entire fleet, enhancing cost structure and operational efficiency.

Furthermore, HMM plans to invest KRW23.5 trillion (US$17.48 billion) in sustainable growth by 2030.

To meet the market's demand for eco-friendly transportation, the company aims to acquire around 70 green vessels by 2030 and establish a carbon-neutral ecosystem across all transportation segments by 2045.