Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center Opens in Washington with 15 Deals on Naval Vessels, LNG Bunkering, and Smart Yards - News and Statistics

Jul 24, 2026

South Korea’s premier shipbuilders revealed a series of collaborations with American partners on Thursday, encompassing naval vessels, LNG bunkering ships, smart shipyards, and workforce training, coinciding with the inauguration of the operational hub for Washington’s $150 billion shipbuilding alliance with Seoul.

The Korea-US Shipbuilding Partnership Center commenced operations in Washington on Thursday, serving as the command post for the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA) initiative. Over 30 entities, including shipbuilders, defense contractors, technology firms, universities, and research institutes, inked 15 agreements. These initiatives target shipyard modernization, supply chain enhancement, workforce skill development, and joint technological endeavors.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasized that the Trump administration would assess the venture based on tangible results rather than mere proclamations. He stated that the center’s success would be measured by the capital invested, facilities upgraded, workers trained, supply chains formed, and the total count of domestically constructed vessels produced collaboratively. Lutnick also pledged Commerce Department assistance in eliminating regulatory hurdles for Korean firms establishing US operations.

Hanwha Ocean entered into a professional services agreement with Leidos Gibbs & Cox to co-design a global fast sealift vessel. This dual-purpose ship is designed to transport commercial goods during peacetime and swiftly move military equipment in crisis situations. Hanwha additionally finalized separate pacts concerning US shipbuilding workforce training and the creation of local supply chains.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering executed a definitive contract with Siemens Digital Industries Software for a next-generation marine platform that unifies ship design, production, procurement, quality assurance, and maintenance via a shared 3D data environment. The company intends to leverage this system to build virtual shipyards and physical AI facilities where robots and autonomous machinery manage a larger portion of the manufacturing workflow.

HD Hyundai Samho independently secured a deal to deliver four port cranes to Washington United Terminals at the Port of Tacoma.

Samsung Heavy Industries and Conrad Shipyard received approval in principle from ABS for a jointly developed 12,000 cubic meter LNG bunkering vessel targeting the US market. Samsung Heavy also partnered with autonomous vessel developer Saronic Technologies to collaborate on unmanned surface vessels, autonomous navigation, AI systems, and robotic shipyard automation. Another arrangement with Vigor Marine Group will create a training facility for welders and painters, while Samsung Heavy will collaborate with US universities on virtual training programs for shipyard personnel.

South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan stated that Korean firms would construct naval vessels and LNG carriers within the United States. The two governments also initiated a 120 billion won ($80 million), five-year research program covering eight domains, including AI-assisted design, autonomous welding, heavy-block transport, yard automation, and autonomous navigation.

John McDonald, chairman and CEO of ABNS, remarked that innovation thrives when research, industry expertise, and practical implementation converge. He noted that by uniting top-tier partners across research and technology, this effort establishes a robust foundation for collaboration that can foster safer, more intelligent shipbuilding in both nations.

1. INTRODUCTION

Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business

REPORT DESCRIPTION
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE AI PLATFORM
DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
GLOSSARY AND SPECIFIC TERMS

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A Quick Overview of Market Performance

KEY FINDINGS
MARKET TRENDS This Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO

3. MARKET OVERVIEW

Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects

MARKET SIZE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
MARKET FORECAST TO 2035

4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION

Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business

TOP PRODUCTS TO DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS
BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS
MOST CONSUMED PRODUCTS
MOST TRADED PRODUCTS
MOST PROFITABLE PRODUCTS FOR EXPORT

5. MOST PROMISING SUPPLYING COUNTRIES

Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain

TOP COUNTRIES TO SOURCE YOUR PRODUCT
TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES
TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES
LOW-COST EXPORTING COUNTRIES

6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS

Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export

TOP OVERSEAS MARKETS FOR EXPORTING YOUR PRODUCT
TOP CONSUMING MARKETS
UNSATURATED MARKETS
TOP IMPORTING MARKETS
MOST PROFITABLE MARKETS

7. PRODUCTION

The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry

PRODUCTION VOLUME AND VALUE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

8. IMPORTS

The Largest Import Supplying Countries

IMPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
IMPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

9. EXPORTS

The Largest Destinations for Exports

EXPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
EXPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)

10. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS

The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles

11. COUNTRY PROFILES

The Largest Markets And Their Profiles

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11.1

United States