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Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world's largest shipbuilder, has won a USD 400 million order to build two dual fuel 155,000 cbm LNG carriers for Singapore-based BW Maritime.

Kim Oi-hyun, senior executive vice president and CEO of Hyundai Heavy and Clarence Lui, BW Maritime CFO & executive vice president, signed the contract that also includes an option to build two same class LNG ships.

These membrane-type LNG carriers, measuring 228 metres in length, 44.2 metres in width and 26 metres in depth, are due for delivery in the second half of 2014 and the first half of 2015. The ships feature the Dual Fuel Diesel Engine (DFDE) System, which allows them to run on fuel oil or natural gas.

Hyundai Heavy has been a leading player in the development of technologies for LNG carriers such as building Korea's first LNG ship in 1996, Korea's first DFDE-type LNG carriers in 2007, and the world's first new LNG-floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) in June 2011. Moreover, Hyundai Heavy has been developing a special welding system that can work on the thick aluminum plates used for the LNG tanks since 2010.

This year the South Korean firm has already won orders for eight LNG carriers (including 2 LNG ships its affiliated company Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries received) and two LNG-FSRUs.

Image: Kim Oi-hyun, senior executive vice president and CEO of Hyundai Heavy (left) and Clarence Lui, BW Maritime CFO & executive vice president (right).