The Seoul-listed firm has booked a pair of 210,000-dwtvessels for delivery in January 2017, it announced today.
A price of KRW 113.1bn ($106.6m) was placed on the contractsigned with an unnamed shipbuilder for what will become the largest bulkers inthe shipowner’s fleet.
Hyundai Merchant has two vessels above the 200,000-dwt markon its roster, including a vessel built in 1990 at Hyundai Heavy Industries anda 2009-built vessel at Universal Shipbuilding.
Clarksons lists the company as having four 150,000-dwt newbuildingson order at Hanjin Heavy Industries and a pair of 82,000-dwt ships for deliveryby Jiangsu New Yangzijiang Shipbuilding in 2015/2016.
The surprise move follows hot on the heels of anothercash-strapped Korean owner booking a pair of capesize vessels last week.
STX Pan Ocean, which only recently secured a debt-for-equitybailout from creditors, ordered the duo at Hanjin Heavy Industries for a combinedfee of KRW 103.7bn for delivery in December 2016.
Hyundai Merchant Marine is currently undergoing a financialrestructuring to stem the flow of losses.
It recently suffered a third quarter deficit of KRW 270.4bn,more than twice the KRW 118.3bn loss seen during the corresponding period of2012.
