South Korean feeder operator Dongjin Shipping has upgraded its South Korea-Japan service with a 1,000TEU newbuilding that it just bought from Dae Sun Shipbuilding & Engineering.
On 28 September 2020, the scrubber-fitted ship, which was ordered from Dae Sun in July 2019, was christened Dongjin Continental in a ceremony at the Busan shipyard.
This is only the fourth newbuilding commissioned by Dongjin since the company was established in 1984, as it tends to acquire second-hand vessels.
Dongjin Continental set out on its maiden voyage on 6 October from Hyundai-Pusan Newport Terminal in Busan. The Korea-Japan-Korea service, to which the ship is deployed, features calls at Busan North Port, Shimizu, Yokohama, Tokyo and Nagoya.
Dongjin Continental is replacing the 950TEU Dongjin Venus, which is being reassigned to Dongjin’s Korea-China-Japan service.
The newly built ship takes Dongjin’s owned fleet to 10 vessels. Including chartered ships, Dongjin has a total operating capacity of 7700TEU, ranking it number 83 in the liner operator list.
In February and July, Dongjin purchased two 720TEU vessels from struggling Singaporean liner operator Pacific International Lines. These ships have been renamed Dongjin Fortune and Dongjin Fides. Pursuant to acquiring the vessels, Dongjin sold the 1991-built 200TEU Dongjin Tokuyama to a Taiwanese owner.
Dongjin president Oh Yung-hwan said, “Notwithstanding the challenging economic conditions, we will continue to work hard to provide stable cargo transportation.”
Photo of christening Credit Dae Sun Shipbuilding & Engineering
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
