HD HHI promotes its know-how at the Australia-Korea Defence Congress

Distinguished speakers from both nations, along with industry experts, participated in the Australia-Korea Defence Congress, sharing insights on current defence industry trends, future cooperation between the two countries, and Indo-Pacific strategy. From the Korean side, notable speakers included Il Sung, Deputy Minister of the Office of Military Force and Resource Management, and Jong-in Lim, Special Cyber Secretary of the Presidential Office. Representing Australia were Jeff Robinson, Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Luke Gosling OAM MP, Special Envoy for Defence, and Brigadier General Rebecca Talbot, Director General of Logistics for the Australian Army.

During the Congress, speakers addressed a range of critical issues, including the importance of upholding a rules-based international order and strengthening military cooperation between Korea and Australia. There were discussions about the opportunities that Korea’s potential participation in AUKUS Pillar 2 could bring, as well as reflections on the geopolitical challenges both nations face. Key topics included the common challenges for Korea and Australia in the tech-driven ‘New Cold War’ and strategies for sustainable space collaboration.

As part of the Congress’s broader discussion on defense industry cooperation, Kwon-sik Woo, Director of Marketing & Sales at HD HHI’s Naval & Special Ship Business Unit (NSSBU), delivered a presentation that exemplified Korea’s growing role in global naval shipbuilding. He highlighted HD HHI’s extensive export history, including the early delivery of the Jose Rizal-class frigate to the Philippines and the successful delivery of the Polar-class logistics support ship, HMNZS Aotearoa, to the Royal New Zealand Navy. The HMNZS Aotearoa’s ice-strengthened and winterized features, designed to withstand Antarctica’s extreme weather conditions, were emphasized to demonstrate HD HHI’s advanced technological capabilities.

HD HHI also showcased its capability to execute local construction projects, highlighted by its contract with the Peruvian Navy. In April this year, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed a contract with Servicios Industriales de la Marina (SIMA), Peru’s state-run shipyard, for the local construction of four vessels. This contract includes the construction of a 3,400-ton frigate, a 2,200-ton offshore patrol vessel (OPV), and two 1,500-ton landing craft units (LCU). In addition to the construction, HD HHI is providing shipbuilding technology transfer, training sessions for local technicians, and support to local ship equipment companies, fostering the overall growth of the shipbuilding industry in Peru.

HD HHI also shared its experience in joint venture collaborations, highlighting its partnership with Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company, ARAMCO. Together, they are constructing the International Maritime Industries (IMI) shipyard at the King Salman Shipyard Complex. HD HHI holds a 20% stake in this venture, which is expected to begin operations as early as the end of this year.

“HD HHI is actively engaged in localization projects, as demonstrated by our work with Peru’s SIMA and Saudi Arabia’s IMI. If given the opportunity to collaborate with Australia, we will strive to develop optimized localization solutions.”

Kwon-sik Woo Director of Marketing & Sales at HD HHI’s Naval & Special Ship Business Unit (NSSBU)

The following day, attendees of the ADM Australia-Korea Defence Congress, including Australian delegates and industry experts, were given a tour of HD HHI’s Ulsan shipyards. During the visit, they observed the entire shipbuilding process, from steel cutting to block construction and assembly in the drydock. The tour also included the Naval and Special Ship Business Unit, where two dockyards were actively engaged in constructing HD HHI’s naval export orders, as well as the second vessel of the KDX-III Batch-II Aegis destroyer.

Sang-bong Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of Engineering, explained how HD HHI achieves efficient and rapid naval ship construction by pre-installing wires, pipes, systems, and even windows into the blocks before hull assembly, significantly reducing the time required for post-assembly installation work. On average, it takes six months to complete the construction of a naval ship and prepare it for the launch ceremony, with larger ships like the KDX-III Batch-II taking around nine months. This efficiency enables HD HHI to construct up to four naval vessels per year.

HD HHI is currently planning to expand its Naval and Special Ship Business Unit by incorporating two additional drydocks from the commercial ship section. This expansion is intended to support the construction of naval export vessels and accommodate anticipated maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) work for the U.S. Navy. Moreover, HD HHI is developing a digital twin of its entire shipyard, enabling workers and overseers to easily track the construction of blocks and the installation of equipment. This digital innovation is designed to boost productivity and reduce construction time by up to 30 percent.

Lastly, HD HHI announced that the lead vessel of the FFX Batch-III Chungnam-class frigate, originally scheduled for delivery to the ROK Navy in December, is now planned for delivery one month earlier, alongside the lead vessel of the KDX-III Batch-II program, Jeongjo the Great, in November. If the early delivery is successful, it will mark yet another milestone in HD HHI’s history of early deliveries.

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