Seoul-based liner operator Korea Marine Transport Co (KMTC) has emerged as the owner behind a series of six feeder containership newbuildings booked at HD Hyundai Group yards.

Shipbuilding sources say KMTC is the Asian owner behind a KRW 372.4bn ($258m) contract disclosed last week by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, which did not name the customer at the time of announcement.

The order covers six 1,800 teu vessels to be built at Hyundai’s shipbuilding facilities, with deliveries scheduled between August 2027 and June 2028.

Ranked 17th globally among container carriers, KMTC operates a fleet of more than 60 vessels focused mainly on intra-Asia routes. The latest order continues a long-standing relationship between the liner and HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding units.

KMTC has been gradually moving into larger vessel segments in recent years. The company last year ordered 13,000 teu ships at Hyundai, following a November 2024 contract for two 8,700 teu vessels at HD Hyundai Samho priced at about $115m each.