Hyundai Heavy clinches 634 bln won deal to build 2 frigates

SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the world's largest shipyard by sales, said Thursday that it has bagged a 634 billion won (US$563 million) order to build two frigates.

Under the deal with South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), Hyundai Heavy will deliver the two 2,800-ton ships by 2013 to the country's Navy.

The ship, 122 meters long and 14 meters wide, will have a maximum speed of 30 knots.

The ships will carry a naval gun, various missiles and host of weapons control systems, Hyundai Heavy said. The ships will also adopt a hybrid electric drive propulsion system designed to reduce noise for more effective anti-submarine operations, the shipyard said.

With the order, Hyundai Heavy has clinched deals valued at a combined $13.3 billion so far this year to build 153 ships in total, surpassing this year's shipbuilding order target of $13.2 billion.

sam@yna.co.kr
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