Hanwha Ocean bids against Chinese yards for Maersk mega-ships
The Danish carrier confirmed 26 dual-fuel vessels while seeking up to 42 ships worth $8.9 billion, testing South Korean delivery discipline against Chinese dock capacity.
HLBy Hyun-jung Lee, Korea correspondent, shipbuilding and defense··Updated September 21, 2026·4 min read
ShareLinkedInXWhatsAppEmailWorkers stand on scaffolding around a large ship at a Hanwha Ocean shipyard dry dock as the company pursues major container vessel orders. (AI-generated image)
Hanwha Ocean entered direct bidding against Chinese shipbuilders on Sept. 21, 2026, targeting an order of 12 ultra-large container vessels for Danish carrier A.P. Moller–Maersk.
The package forms part of a broader fleet renewal plan encompassing up to 42 ships worth $8.9 billion. That total represents roughly 10% of Maersk's current operating capacity of 4.74 million TEU — twenty-foot equivalent units.
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Korea correspondent, shipbuilding and defense — Hyun-jung Lee reports on Korean yards, order books and naval programs, and on the defense export contracts that increasingly sit alongside them.
