HMM Deploys 9th Temporary Vessel to Support Exports to the U.S.

On the 23rd, the 4,600 TEU container ship 'HMM Forward,' scheduled to depart from Busan HPNT (HMM Busan New Port Terminal), is loading cargo from domestic export companies bound for the Americas.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] HMM (formerly Hyundai Merchant Marine) announced that it will urgently deploy its 9th chartered vessel on the 23rd to transport export cargoes from domestic companies to the United States.

The 4600 TEU container ship "HMM Forward," scheduled to depart from Busan HPNT (HMM Busan New Port Terminal) on the 23rd, will carry 3970 TEUs of cargo from domestic export companies and head to the Port of Los Angeles in the United States.

Despite the difficulty in securing additional vessels, HMM has been deploying at least one chartered vessel every month since August last year. A total of seven chartered vessels were deployed on the US West Coast route last year, and including the HMM Forward departing this time, a total of eight chartered vessels have been deployed.

Additionally, at the end of December last year, one chartered vessel was urgently deployed on the US East Coast route, bringing the total number of chartered vessels deployed to nine so far.

By the end of this month, HMM is also planning to deploy one chartered vessel on the Europe route.

Currently, the global shipping market is facing difficulties not only in securing vessels but also container boxes, as maritime cargo volume, which had contracted in the first half of last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, surged rapidly from the second half. With no idle vessels available, HMM continues to deploy chartered vessels to alleviate the difficulties faced by domestic export companies despite these challenges.

An HMM official stated, “The continuous deployment of chartered vessels is expected to be a great help to domestic shippers experiencing export disruptions,” adding, “As a leading national shipping company, we will take responsibility and make every effort to ensure that export companies’ cargoes are transported without any setbacks.”

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