Hyundai Heavy's Ulsan shipyard operates at full capacity, building diverse vessels and achieving remarkable milestones in global shipbuilding.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan shipyard is currently operating at full capacity, constructing a diverse range of container ships, gas carriers, and naval vessels, as reported by Seoul's Maeil Business Newspaper.
In the first dock, a 15,500-TEU ship ordered by a Taiwanese owner is under construction. Meanwhile, the second dock accommodates 88,000 cubic metre LPG carriers and super-large ammonia carriers for European clients. The one million ton, three-dock facility, measuring 672 metres by 92 metres, currently hosts five ships, including LNG and LPG carriers.
Recognized as the world's largest single shipbuilding facility, the Ulsan yard features 14 drydocks and 10 Goliath cranes spread across 1.46 million pyeong. The shipyard produces approximately 100 ships annually, representing over 15 percent of the global market share. This impressive productivity is driven by simultaneous construction processes and a comprehensive engineering system that integrates design, propulsion, and fuel supply.
Yoon Sang-sik, an executive overseeing design, emphasized that performance achieved in design must be flawlessly implemented at the production site to ensure fuel efficiency, quality, and timely delivery. The production line is organized around crane capacity and block movement, maintaining a consistent rhythm similar to a factory system.
This strategic approach has yielded significant results, with 24 out of 40 ships completed ahead of schedule. Approximately 30 percent of the vessels under construction are subject to HI-TRUST, an independent inspection system mandated by shipowners. Since its inception in 1972, the yard has built 2,630 ships, achieving a remarkable milestone of 5,000 cumulative deliveries.
Beginning with the 260,000-ton supertanker Atlantic Barron in 1974, Hyundai's portfolio has expanded to include naval vessels. The company's 5,000th ship was the Philippine patrol vessel Diego Sillang. Notably, Hyundai is the only Korean builder to design Aegis ships and has constructed all Ulsan-class frigates, as well as the Aegis destroyers King Sejong and King Jeongjo.
