Seoul, Feb 9 (IANS): German shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd may turn to South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean Co. for its next batch of container ship newbuildings worth over 1.7 trillion won ($1.2 billion), according to foreign news media.

Hapag-Llyod is considering placing an order to build six liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container carriers with Hanwha Ocean, global shipping news source TradeWinds reported, according to Yonhap news agency.

In 2021, the German firm reportedly signed a letter of intent with the Korean shipbuilder, then known as Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (DSME), for the construction of six container ships of the same kind.

Industry people expect the two companies to sign the deal later this month.

Hanwha Ocean said nothing has been decided in regard to the deal.

Hanwha Ocean is a shipbuilding affiliate of South Korea's chemicals-to-aerospace conglomerate Hanwha Group.

Last month, three South Korean shipbuilders were on the list of the world's top 10 companies by new global orders in 2024, while the remaining seven spots were claimed by Chinese shipyards.

Samsung Heavy Industries ranked fifth on the list, based on new orders measured in compensated gross tons (CGTs), and Hanwha Ocean Co. and HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. followed in sixth and seventh places, according to the data by London-based Clarkson Research Services.

China's New Times Shipbuilding was on the top, followed by Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding, New Yangzijiang and Hengli Heavy Industry.

Dalian Shipbuilding, Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding and Jiangnan Shipyard placed eighth to 10th. In terms of order backlog, however, South Korean companies led the field

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. ranked first globally with 8.93 million CGTs as of January. Samsung Heavy Industries Co. followed with 8.72 million CGTs and Hanwha Ocean placed third with 8.49 million CGTs. HD Hyundai Samho secured the sixth spot in this category.