Minister John Philin of the U.S. Navy visited Hanwha Ocean and discussed the South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation plans with Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan of Hanwha Group.
On the 1st, according to Hanwha Ocean, Minister Philin visited the U.S. Navy's supply ship Yukon, which is undergoing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) at the Geoje shipyard, guided by Vice Chairman Kim on the previous day (30th). Hanwha Ocean secured the MRO contract for the Yukon last November, and the Yukon is scheduled to depart next month.
Hanwha Ocean reported that Minister Philin, along with Vice Chairman Kim, toured the key production areas of the Geoje shipyard, such as the submarine construction area and the commercial ship construction area, to confirm the MRO business capabilities. Minister Philin noted, "The relationship between the U.S. Navy and the Republic of Korea's maritime industry is a cornerstone that solidly supports the will of both countries, beyond ship maintenance," and said, "This will further strengthen the alliance between the two nations."
Vice Chairman Kim said, "Hanwha Ocean has not only acquired a shipyard in the U.S. as the first Korean corporation, but also successfully completed the U.S. Navy's MRO project," and added, "We plan to maximize synergy by securing various shipyards in the U.S. and further strengthen our position in the North American market."
Earlier, Hanwha Ocean secured the MRO project for the U.S. Navy's supply ship, the Wally Schirra, in August last year, becoming the first domestic shipyard to do so. After undergoing maintenance, it was delivered in March. During this process, Hanwha Ocean discovered new maintenance needs for the vessel and signed a modification contract. In December last year, it acquired the U.S. Pilgrim shipyard, becoming the first Korean corporation to do so.