Shipowners are stepping back from ship-naming ceremonies at South Korean shipyards as the war between the United States and Iran disrupts vessel-related operations tied to the Middle East.
According to the shipbuilding industry on the 11th, a Greek shipowner recently told a domestic shipbuilder it would not attend a ship-naming ceremony scheduled for this month because it had urgent matters to handle involving its vessels due to the war. The event had been arranged early this year, and about 10 senior executives, including the shipping company’s president, had been expected to attend. The two sides had previously held naming ceremonies for newbuilds several times.
Industry officials said tanker owners have been particularly affected by the conflict. With the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, shipping companies have faced heavier workloads linked to crew safety, route management and insurance. One industry official said some manager-level officials canceled attendance at a naming ceremony because work tied to vessels in the Middle East had increased.
Travel disruptions have also affected ceremony plans. Another shipping company due to visit a separate shipbuilder this month to attend a newbuild naming ceremony reportedly asked to change the event schedule after its planned flight was canceled. Some countries closed their airspace because of the war, leading to route changes and flight cancellations.
Ship-naming ceremonies mark the naming of a completed vessel at a shipyard and celebrate its first official departure. Because the vessel is worth hundreds of billions of won, the shipowner, the owner’s family, and employees take part in several events. These include cutting a rope with an axe, boarding the vessel to inspect facilities and sounding the ship’s horn. Most ceremonies also include a champagne breaking to wish for the vessel’s safety and safe operation.
A shipbuilder official said shipyards had once held naming ceremonies through remote video platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The official added that there were still no signs the war was delaying vessel handovers.
According to Clarksons Research, domestic shipbuilders delivered a total of 11 vessels to Middle Eastern shipping companies last year. This year, 16 vessels ordered by the Middle East are scheduled for delivery: the United Arab Emirates with six, Oman with four, Israel with two and Qatar with four. Next year, scheduled deliveries are expected to rise to 26 due to the Qatar LNG project and other factors.
