[THE INVESTOR] Hyundai Heavy Industries said on April 27 that its first-quarter earnings almost doubled from a year earlier.

Net profit reached 462 billion won (US$409 million) in the January-March period, compared with 245 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Operating income also surged 90 percent on-year to reach 619 billion won, while sales dipped 1.9 percent to 10.08 trillion won over the cited period.

HHI said earlier it has so far clinched new orders worth US$1.4 billion to build 15 ships this year, including 13 oil tankers.

By Alex Lee and newswires (alexlee@heraldcorp.com)