Hanjin launches largest oil tanker ever built in the country

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE – Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co.-Philippines (HHIC-Phil.) yesterday launched the first and biggest crude oil tanker ever built in the country.

The US$68 million oil tanker christened as M/T Leyla K is owned by Turkish shipping company Kaptanoglu and one of the 36 remaining vessels ordered by different international shipping companies to be constructed by Hanjin until the year 2012.

The 114,000 metric ton M/T Leyla K weighs was named after the daughter of Engin Kaptanoglu, chairman of the said Turkish shipping firm.

Leyla herself, in her mid-thirties, graced the occasion and acted as the “godmother” in the christening and launching ceremonies of the ship including the traditional breaking of champagne.

“May God Bless this vessel,” Leyla declared as she cuts the rope to ceremoniously release the ship to sea voyage.

“I am very happy, it is like a dream come true,” the elder Kaptanoglu said in her speech.

M/T Leyla K has a length of 250 meters, breadth of 44 meter, gross tonnage of fo 63,304 ton and an actual speed of 15 knots.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano Salonga, who witnessed the naming ceremony along with SBMA administrator Armand Arreza and Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso, was visibly impressed by record-setting event by Hanjin, as well as the growing skill of its Filipino employees.

Salonga said that the production of the first oil tanker marks a new era for Subic.

“Subic Bay Freeport is now in the big league of shipbuilding,” Salonga said.

“I won’t be surprised if (Hanjin) will start constructing several oil tankers at the same time. Our Filipino workers are getting the hang of shipbuilding, and it won’t be long before Filipino shipbuilders will be famous in this industry,” Salonga added.

Hanjin Senior Executive vice-president Hyun Soo Bong said that the launching was a meaningful event for the shipyard indicating a “good and prosperous” start for 2010.

Bong said that Hanjin has already delivered eight vessels – one in 2008 and seven vessels last year – and expected to complete the construction of 36 vessels in the next two years.

The M/T Leyla K will be manned by 21 crew members composed of 18 Filipinos who are mostly graduates of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) in San Narciso, Zambales.

“Hanjin shows off to the world the excellence of the Filipino workforce in building vessels sailing around the globe,” Arreza said.

Arreza also noted that Hanjin is helping secure the country’s place as an attractive investment destination, and displays the Filipinos’ skills.

“We are delighted and truly proud,” Deloso said.

Deloso said that this vessel was built in Subic, Zambales by Korean shipbuilding experts utilizing the skills Zambaleños and will be manned mostly by graduates of PMMA, a maritime institution in Zambales, as it “voyage in seven seas.”

On July 2008, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo launched of MV Argolikos, the first ship to be built in this Freeport by Hanjin calling it “a milestone achievement in shipbuilding” and a showcase of excellence for Filipino ship workers.

Arroyo said that the $1.7-billion Hanjin shipyard here is “a massive boost” to the country’s bid to be the best value for investment in Asia, with projected jobs expected to reach 21,000 during full operations.

The $60 million MV Argolikos, which was also the first container ship to be built in the country, was delivered to Dioryx, a Greek shipping firm that has placed the first six orders for ships to be built by Hanjin in Subic.

Five months after , Hanjin delivered its second container ship, the CMA CGM Turquoise, and two more 4,300-TEU container vessels—the CMA CGM Opal and the CMA CGM Topaz were launched a month later.

Hanjin’s Busan headquarters had announced last year that the company has signed for the Subic facility a $2.2-billion order for some of the biggest box ships and Cape-size carriers ever to be built.

These include eight 12,800-TEU container carriers worth $1.27 billion for Germany’s NSC Schiffartsgeselhaft; 10 3,600-TEU carriers worth $690 million for France’s CMA CGM; and three 175,000-DWT (deadweight ton) capsize bulkers worth $240 million, with two going to India’s Adani Group and the other to Turkey’s Eregli firm. Rey Garcia