▶ MOA signed in Gyeongju, the host city of APEC 2025; covering joint design and construction of the U.S. Navy’s next-generation fleet auxiliary ships, with plans to expand cooperation across all naval and commercial ship types
▶ Joint investment in the acquisition and establishment of shipbuilding facilities in the United States; consideration of an “Engineering Solutions” joint venture and cooperation on MRO projects for U.S. and allied naval fleets
▶Huntington Ingalls: “Marking the beginning of deeper shipbuilding collaboration between the United States and Korea. We look forward to strengthening partnership with HD Hyundai to transform the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.”
HD Hyundai has agreed to join forces with Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), the largest defense shipbuilder in the United States, to build the U.S. Navy’s next-generation fleet auxiliary ships. This will mark the first-ever collaboration between Korea and the United States in this field.
HD Hyundai announced on Sunday, October 26th, that it signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with HII, to cooperate on the design and construction of naval and commercial vessels.
The signing ceremony took place at the Lahan Select Hotel in Gyeongju — the host city for APEC 2025 Korea. The event was attended by Joo Won-ho, President of the Naval & Special Ship Business Unit at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), and Eric Chewning, Executive Vice President of Maritime Systems and Corporate Strategy at HII.
The next-generation auxiliary ships, currently under development by the U.S. Navy, are designed to deliver fuel and logistical supplies to combat ships in operational areas. Featuring enhanced mobility and greater operational efficiency compared to existing replenishment vessels, the new class of ships is expected to play a key role in the Navy’s strategy to modernize its logistics and replenishment capabilities.
Under the MOA, the two companies will collaborate on the design and construction of the U.S. Navy’s next-generation auxiliary ships and share technical know-how to improve cost efficiency and shorten construction schedules in naval and commercial shipbuilding. The U.S. Navy recently issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the concept design phase of the next-generation auxiliary ship program.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has a strong track record in this field, having delivered its first auxiliary vessel, HMNZS Endeavour, to New Zealand in 1987, followed by the HMNZS Aotearoa in 2020. The company has also supplied the Republic of Korea Navy with three Cheonji-class and one Soyang-class auxiliary ships, demonstrating its proven competitiveness.
The two companies also agreed to jointly invest in the acquisition or establishment of new shipbuilding facilities in the United States. In addition, HD Hyundai will supply block modules and key components to Huntington Ingalls Industries’ two major shipyards — Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding — as part of their expanded cooperation.
The partners are also considering the establishment of a joint “engineering solutions” company to strengthen collaboration from design to construction in next-generation naval and commercial ship programs. Furthermore, the two parties plan to cooperate in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of vessels operated by the U.S. Navy and allied fleets.
“Through joint participation in U.S. Navy procurement programs and investments aimed at establishing ship production bases in the United States, the two nations’ key industries are taking a major step toward deeper strategic collaboration,” HHI President Joo Won-ho said. “We are confident that this partnership will generate powerful synergies by combining Korea’s cutting-edge shipbuilding technologies with the U.S. defense sector’s strong market competitiveness.”
HII Executive Vice President Eric Chewning commented, “This marks the beginning of deeper collaboration between not only our companies, but each of our countries, that will support enduring changes to military and commercial shipbuilding in America. We look forward to working collaboratively with HHI, the U.S. and South Korean Governments, and with our customers to transform the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base and enable accelerated throughput in our shipyards.”
Meanwhile, Eric Chewning will be delivering a keynote speech on “Strategic Collaboration Between the U.S. and Korea in Shipbuilding” at the Future Tech Forum hosted by HD Hyundai on October 27 as part of the APEC CEO Summit Korea 2025. He is expected to highlight the achievements of the partnership between the two companies and outline the future direction of bilateral cooperation in the shipbuilding sector.
Earlier in April, HD Hyundai signed an MOU with HII to enhance collaboration in defense shipbuilding. In early October, executives and technical staff from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Naval & Special Ship Business Unit visited HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding yard in Mississippi to share expertise on shipbuilding technology and manufacturing processes. In September, the company also began a regular overhaul of the 41,000-ton fleet dry cargo and ammunition ship, USNS Alan Shepard, assigned to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet, further strengthening cooperation between HD Hyundai and the United States in the shipbuilding sector.