South Korea’s three leading shipbuilders—Hanwha, Samsung, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries—have announced plans to collaborate with the Pentagon to revitalize American shipbuilding. This initiative was highlighted during Korea Investment Week, held in Seoul from September 9 to 12, 2023, and has been termed MASGA, or “Make American Shipyards Great Again.”
During the event, representatives from these companies shared insights into their cooperation with the U.S. Navy. Each company is making significant changes to their shipyard operations as part of their plans. The Korea Economic Daily was the first to report on this development.
As the U.S. seeks to enhance its maritime capabilities in response to China’s growing assertiveness, South Korean manufacturers are stepping up to support this effort. A notable achievement was HD Hyundai’s recent opening of a shipbuilding facility in Subic Bay, Philippines. This previously dormant shipyard was acquired by a U.S. firm amidst a competitive bidding scenario and has since been revitalized with South Korean investment. The shipyard was inaugurated earlier this month.
Jang Gwang-pil, vice president of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., mentioned that the Subic Bay facility will serve as a maintenance, repair, and overhaul base for various vessels, including frigates and patrol craft. Additionally, the recent merger of HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding operations is expected to lead to the production of more U.S. Navy warships, including the Aegis destroyer.
Hanwha has made headlines by acquiring Philly Shipyard and announced plans to establish two operational hubs—one in Philadelphia and one in Busan, South Korea. The Philly hub will function as a production center, while the Busan facility will focus on maintenance and repair for U.S. naval vessels. This initiative aims to create jobs in the U.S. and develop a skilled American shipbuilding workforce.
The company also plans to leverage over 1,000 suppliers in Busan and surrounding areas to establish a specialized cluster capable of handling maintenance, repair, and overhaul for 11 U.S. Navy vessels annually, as stated by Choi Jeong-hoon, head of special ship planning at Hanwha.
Samsung Heavy Industries is set to expand its operations across five U.S. shipyards following an agreement with Vigor Marine Group signed last month. In addition to shipbuilding, the company will invest substantially in training American workers.
About Zita Ballinger Fletcher: Zita previously served as editor of Military History Quarterly and Vietnam magazines and was the historian for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, holding a Master’s degree in military history with distinction.
