The christening ceremony of South Korea’s 500th liquid natural gas carrier for export at Samsung Heavy Industries Co. on the southeastern Geoje Island, South Korea. File. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
April 1 (Asia Today) — Samsung Heavy Industries has joined a U.S. Navy vessel development project, marking another step forward for South Korea’s shipbuilding industry in the American defense market following similar moves by Hanwha.
Samsung Heavy Industries said Wednesday it has begun conceptual design work for the Navy’s Next-Generation Logistics Support Ship program in partnership with U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO and Korean engineering firm DSEC. The project is scheduled to run through March 2027.
The program involves developing small, highly maneuverable vessels to support the Navy’s distributed maritime operations strategy, which emphasizes dispersed forces and flexible logistics. More than 13 ships are expected to be built under the initiative.
Samsung Heavy Industries will focus on hull design and technical support, using a 400-meter test tank at its research facility to improve efficiency and performance.
The announcement follows a move by Hanwha’s shipbuilding unit, which recently confirmed its participation in a separate U.S. Navy program. Industry analysts say a broader Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation framework is beginning to take shape as major South Korean companies expand their presence in U.S. defense projects.
A company official said the NGLS program will serve as a foundation for expanding cooperation with the U.S. partner shipyard and accelerating efforts to secure tangible results in the American market.
In parallel with the design project, Samsung Heavy Industries is preparing to bid jointly with a U.S. shipyard for maintenance, repair and overhaul contracts. The company is also pursuing certification under the Navy’s ship repair agreement program, which would allow it to compete for future maintenance work.
The company is further strengthening collaboration in advanced manufacturing technologies, including artificial intelligence-based automation and robotics, through a research center established with San Diego State University. Plans include expanding cooperation to build a shipbuilding supply chain in the United States and train skilled workers.
The latest developments suggest South Korea’s shipbuilders are moving beyond commercial vessels into defense-related projects in the United States, broadening their global footprint and deepening bilateral industrial ties.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260401010000142