Greek shipowner Evalend Shipping is being named as the company behind a two-ship newbuilding order at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries that would double its emerging LNG fleet.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co (HD KSOE), the holding company for HD Hyundai Group’s shipyard interests, announced on Tuesday that it had won an order for two ships priced at KRW 698.1bn ($525.4m).
The order prices the vessels, which are believed to be options the shipowner was holding, at around $262.7m each.
The pair will be built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and is due for delivery by February 2028.
HD KSOE did not name the contracting party, but described it as “an African shipper”.
TradeWinds has contacted Evalend for confirmation.
Kriton Lendoudis-led Evalend made a surprise break into the LNG sector in late July, ordering two ships at HHI priced at just under $260m each and scheduled for handover in 2027.
Evalend, which has been a particularly active player across the newbuilding market in the past two years, also has crude oil and LPG carrier tonnage on order at the South Korean shipbuilding giant.
HD KSOE has won $20.9bn worth of orders to date in 2023.
The group has won contracts to build 146 vessels, including one floating production unit, and has achieved 133% of its $15.7bn target for the year.
