U.S. Navy Logistics Ship Arrives In Korea, Launching HD Hyundai’s First Major Maintenance Project

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has officially begun its first maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) project for the U.S. Navy. On September 30, the USNS Alan Shepard, a 41,000-ton Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo replenishment ship, arrived at Yeompo Pier near HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Dong-gu, Ulsan, South Korea.

This ship, which entered service in 2007 and is currently assigned to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet, is the first vessel Hyundai will service under its newly developed MRO capability for U.S. military ships.

The vessel measures 210 meters in length, 32 meters in width, and 9.4 meters in height. The maintenance work will include cleaning of the propeller, inspection and maintenance of various tanks, equipment checks, and safety inspections.

Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to complete the project by the end of the year and return the vessel to the Military Sealift Command. The company announced in August that it had secured the maintenance contract for the Alan Shepard. This marks its first U.S. repair project and is part of its plan to expand repair work and support the United States.

Last year, Hyundai reported it had qualified for MRO contracts and signed agreements to allow bidding for such work. However, due to busy shipbuilding schedules, the company had lost earlier bids, with Hanwha Ocean winning two MRO contracts in 2024 and securing a third this year.

The company said it intends to expand this sector significantly, especially after its planned merger with HD Hyundai Mipo, expected to be completed in December. This merger will allow Hyundai to better use Hyundai Mipo’s dock and quay facilities, strengthening its ability to service foreign naval logistics vessels.

Hyundai has already proven its overseas naval support capabilities. Since 2022, it has been providing MRO services to the Philippine Navy under a contract to build patrol ships. The company has also conducted maintenance projects for Indian naval vessels.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries stated that it intends to take a leading role in Korea’s Make American Shipbuilding Great Again program. As part of this, it has entered into partnership agreements with Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and, for commercial shipbuilding, with ECO Edison Chouest Offshore. The company is also reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring a shipyard in the United States.

Reference: asiae

Source: Maritime Shipping News