The Hanwha Ocean LNG order valued at KRW680 billion ($499.6 million) has been linked to Zodiac Maritime, although the shipbuilder has identified the buyer only as an Africa-based shipowner. Two vessels are covered by the announced contract, with handover planned by November 2029.
The contract brings the South Korean yard’s reported 2026 order intake to approximately $7.7 billion. Yonhap reported that the total includes eight LNG carriers, alongside 18 very large crude carriers and six containerships.
Details of the buyer and a potentially larger vessel programme have emerged through shipping publications. Lloyd’s List described a commitment for two 174,000 cu m LNG carriers, plus an option covering a further pair. Splash attributed the order to Eyal Ofer’s London-based Zodiac Maritime, citing shipbuilding sources, and reported that it would mark the company’s entry into conventional LNG carrier ownership.
Those reports go beyond the contract particulars publicly disclosed by Hanwha Ocean. The announcement confirms two ships but does not name Zodiac Maritime or establish the additional options. According to NewsPim’s coverage of the filing, the agreement runs from 23 September 2026 to 2 November 2029. The KRW680 billion price applies to the pair.
Zodiac Maritime has also been linked to an earlier gas carrier order at Hanwha Ocean. In May, Splash reported a separate ammonia carrier package comprising three confirmed vessels and two optional ships. The firm portion carried a disclosed value of KRW507.4 billion, and the reported delivery schedule extended to January 2030.
