The shipbuilding market is buzzing with talk that South Korean giant Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will close its Gunsan Shipyard in Chollabuk province following last week’s disclosure that it could axe less-efficient drydocks in response to the slump in orders.

Shipbuilding players tell Trade­Winds that HHI has stopped marketing slots at Gunsan where its backlog of orders is now almost “empty”.

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