Themed Cabin Interiors and Limited-Edition Collectibles Make Maiden Flight to Chengdu as Giant Pandas Soar Skyward as Tourism Ambassadors
HONG KONG, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Since its debut in mid-March this year, the Panda Friends livery aircraft, jointly created by Hong Kong Airlines and Ocean Park, has been warmly embraced by passengers worldwide as Hong Kong's conservation ambassador in the sky, carrying the city's compelling stories and conservation ethos to the world and showcasing the appeal of Hong Kong tourism to global audiences. To further elevate the passenger experience, Hong Kong Airlines yesterday unveiled a brand-new suite of Panda Friends-themed cabin interiors and bespoke collectibles, debuting on board the carrier's flight to Chengdu — the hometown of the giant panda — where the six Hong Kong giant pandas will accompany travellers across the skies in an even more vivid and engaging form.
Hong Kong Airlines and Ocean Park were honoured to welcome a distinguished line-up of guests to the Panda Friends Livery Aircraft Themed Flight Preview, including Miss Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr Raistlin Lau, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr Liu Chun-san, Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics; Ms Vivian Cheung, Chief Executive Officer of the Airport Authority Hong Kong; together with Mr Bruce Wang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hong Kong Airlines; Mr Jeff Sun, President of Hong Kong Airlines; Mr Paulo Pong, Chairman of the Board of Ocean Park Corporation; and Mr Ivan Wong, Chief Executive of Ocean Park Corporation, who jointly witnessed this milestone occasion.
The fuselage design of the Panda Friends livery aircraft creatively incorporates Ocean Park's beloved IP characters, namely An An, Ke Ke, Ying Ying and Le Le, alongside the Hong Kong-born giant panda twins — elder sister Jia Jia and younger brother De De. In the artwork, the six pandas set off from Ocean Park with their passports and cameras in hand, taking on the role of tourism ambassadors as they journey around the world with passengers on board.
Twenty Years Rooted in Hong Kong — Connecting the World, Playing a Pivotal Role
The launch of the Panda Friends livery aircraft marks a particularly meaningful chapter within Hong Kong Airlines' 20th anniversary milestones. From fleet and network expansion to brand identity renewal, Hong Kong Airlines has remained steadfast in its core mission of being "Rooted in Hong Kong, Connecting the World", carrying the city's distinctive charm, cultural heritage and conservation stories to global travellers with every flight. Looking ahead, Hong Kong Airlines will continue to advance with both innovation and local heart, working hand in hand with partners across sectors to make a deeper and more lasting contribution to consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international aviation hub and to advancing the city's tourism and cultural soft power.
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Hong Kong Airlines × Ocean Park Panda Friends Livery Aircraft Receives Comprehensive Upgrade
Hong Kong Airlines × Ocean Park Panda Friends Livery Aircraft Receives Comprehensive Upgrade
- Trumbull CCPP Grand Opening Ceremony held in Trumbull County, Ohio, on June 24, 2026.
- Hanwha Power secures U.S. combined cycle power plant equipment contract with an innovative Variable Frequency Drive Integrally Geared Centrifugal Compressor design.
- 9-year LTSA with subscription-based service model — Houston service center to anchor long-term U.S. aftermarket presence.
SEOUL, South Korea, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On 24th of June 2026, the successful commissioning and opening ceremony for the Trumbull Energy Center Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant (CCGT) was held in Ohio, USA, marking the successful start-up of the 950MW facility. The ceremony brought together key project partners, including Korea Southern Power Co., Ltd. (KOSPO), Gemma Power Systems, Siemens Energy, Ohio state government officials, the Korean Consul General, and project financing lenders.
Originally developed to address the power gap from the retirement of aging coal-fired plants, the plant is expected to serve as a critical asset within the PJM (Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection) grid — the largest wholesale electricity market in the United States.
Building on hundreds of global installations, Hanwha Power successfully commissioned its first Fuel Gas Compressors (FGC) in the U.S by providing three units to the highly efficient CCGT power plant. These units feature Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) technology specifically engineered to ensure uninterrupted operation by automatically adjusting to the extreme seasonal pipeline pressure fluctuations common in the PJM region.
Beyond the equipment supply, Hanwha Power has also secured a 9-year Long-Term Service Agreement (LTSA), covering capital spare parts and maintenance services through three major overhaul cycles. Under the agreement, Hanwha Power's Houston service center will serve as the primary hub for on-site support and component refurbishment, ensuring comprehensive lifecycle management for the units. This long-term partnership is expected to serve as a cornerstone of Hanwha's expansion of its service footprint in the North American market.
Joo Mong Choi, The CEO of Trumbull Asset Management, stated, "The successful commissioning of the Trumbull Energy Center and the deployment of Hanwha Power's advanced compressors represent a significant milestone, showcasing the world-class reliability of Korean power generation technology in the U.S. market. As we contribute to the region's clean energy transition by supplying stable power to the PJM grid, we look forward to further expanding our footprint in the North American power sector through continued, strong partnerships with leading Korean companies."
"Securing both the equipment supply contract and a long-term service agreement for this project reflects the confidence our client has placed in Hanwha Power's technical and operational capabilities," said Prakash Nair, Hanwha Power's Chief Commercial Officer. "This project is a strong foundation for Hanwha Power's long-term presence in the U.S. power generation market — not only in equipment supply, but in service partnerships that last."
Meanwhile, Hanwha Power plans to further strengthen its supply of eco-friendly, high-efficiency power generation solutions and expand its service business across key markets, including North America, leveraging its accumulated technological expertise and operational experience in the global power equipment sector.
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Hanwha Power Marks U.S. Market with Successful Commissioning of Trumbull Energy Center CCGT
