HMM's twelve 24,000 TEU ships fully laden with containers
HMM announced that all of its twelve 24,000 TEU containerships have been entirely filled with cargoes on their first voyage, the company said in its release. On 30 September, HMM St. Petersburg, the last of the 24K-class series, departed for Europe from the Port of Yantian, China with 19,529 TEUs loaded on board.
Consequently, all 24,000 TEU ships delivered by HMM have made their maiden voyage with a full load of cargoes, starting with HMM Algeciras which carried a total of 19,621 TEUs last May.
In particular, HMM Algeciras and its two sister ships, HMM Oslo and HMM Copenhagen, embarked on their second journey full of export shipments from Asia to Europe. Considering the safety of vessel operations and cargo weight, the maximum loadable capacity of each 24,000 TEU ship stands at around 19,300 TEUs on average.
HMM has returned to profit in the second quarter of this year, achieving an operating profit of USD 115 million and a net profit of USD 23 million, despite high volatility due to the Covid-19 pandemic. HMM will seek to enhance its profitability based on the seamless operation of 24,000 TEU ships, the realignment of service routes, and a string of cost-cutting measures.
Meanwhile, HMM has led an effort to stabilise the logistics flow by deploying extra tonnage to the market where a swift delivery of cargo is required and fully operating its entire fleet without idle container vessels in the face of the recent surge in cargo demand.
As part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions, last August, HMM has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the development of bio-heavy fuel with Korea Bio-energy Association (KBEA), Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), and Korean Register (KR). This partnership aims to establish the quality standards; investigate the commercial viability; and develop a supply chain solution for the fuel. HMM is expected to test the use of bio-heavy fuel on its 13,100 TEU vessel early next year.
In line with digital transformation, in September, HMM unveiled its new Fleet Control Centre to enhance operational excellence and efficiency in its modern fleet including twelve 24,000 TEU and eight 16,000 TEU containerships equipped with the latest smart ship solutions. The centre provides real-time visibility into the location of ships, fuel consumption, weather conditions and cargo information etc. Furthermore, it enables to support the safety and efficiency of ships through a remote control system. HMM will continue to secure the latest technologies in the maritime sector through analysing the operational efficiency and exploring the commercial viability of autonomous ships based on big data collected from the Fleet Control Centre. Additionally, HMM has joined forces with Samsung Heavy Industries(SHI) and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering(DSME) in the field of smart ship solutions.