Hanwha Ocean signs agreements to boost Korea-US shipbuilding ties

Officials at the signing of the agreement and MoUs. Credit: Hanwha Group.

Hanwha Ocean has deepened South Korea-US shipbuilding collaboration by signing one agreement and two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with US partners.

The collaborations, covering naval ship design, workforce development, and supply chain cooperation, were signed at the opening ceremony of the Korea-US Shipbuilding Partnership Center in Washington, DC.

Agreement with Leidos for Joint Ship Design

Hanwha Ocean signed a Professional Services Agreement with Leidos for the joint design of the Global Fast Sealift (GFS), a dual-use platform intended to support commercial shipping in peacetime and deliver rapid military sealift during periods of conflict.

According to Hanwha Ocean, this move advances a previous MoU signed in April, which outlined plans for the companies to cooperate on next-generation naval ship design, bolster US shipbuilding capacity, and create additional opportunities in global defence markets.

Gibbs & Cox, a Leidos subsidiary known for providing designs for the majority of US Navy surface combatants since World War II, will also support the collaborative effort.

As part of the agreement, Hanwha Ocean and Leidos will jointly design the GFS and collaborate on technology development. The arrangement also establishes a framework focused on maintaining quality throughout the design phase, according to the companies.

MoUs Targeting Workforce and Supply Chain Needs

In addition to the Leidos agreement, Hanwha Ocean signed two MoUs targeting workforce and supply chain needs in the US shipbuilding industry.

Workforce Development MoU

The first MoU, with Hanwha Philly Shipyard (HPSI) and Delaware County Community College (DCCC), is intended to help meet workforce requirements through instructor training and programmes designed to cultivate skilled shipbuilding professionals.

DCCC, an accredited public college in Pennsylvania, provides technical education that supports HPSI’s Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship programmes.

Supply Chain Cooperation MoU

The second MoU involves HPSI, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership.

Through this partnership, the parties intend to identify local suppliers and foster collaboration across the regional industrial base, supporting efforts to strengthen the US shipbuilding supply chain and expand HPSI’s production capacity.

Executive Comment

Hanwha Ocean president and management support office head Insub Jung said: "Hanwha Ocean is fully prepared to contribute to the revitalisation of the US shipbuilding industry and the continued advancement of Korea’s shipbuilding sector.

"Building on our local production footprint, we will expand cooperation in areas most critical to the US."