The Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation Center (KUSPC) has officially opened in Washington, D.C., serving as a local hub for Korea-U.S. shipbuilding collaboration. This center aims to support the revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry based on Korea's technological expertise and production experience, while also facilitating a $150 billion investment in shipbuilding cooperation.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that the opening ceremony for KUSPC was held on the morning of July 23, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Commerce. The event was attended by Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-kwan and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Rutnik.
The two countries had signed a memorandum of understanding on the 'Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Initiative' on May 8, paving the way for the establishment of KUSPC. The opening ceremony took place approximately two months later.
About 130 attendees from both governments, Congress, businesses, and related organizations were present at the ceremony. The Korean delegation included the Minister of Trade, the Ambassador to the U.S., and officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and members of the Korea-U.S. Congressional Coalition. The U.S. side was represented by the Secretary of Commerce, the U.S. Ambassador to Korea, the Acting Secretary of the Navy, the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, and officials from the Office of Management and Budget, the National Security Council, the State Department, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Coast Guard.
KUSPC will play a key role in supporting the success of the MASGA project in the U.S. It will operate productivity consulting and workforce training programs for U.S. shipyards, backed by a government budget of 6.6 billion won. The center also plans to promote collaborative projects between companies from both countries, including research and development, technology exchange, and direct investment.
In his welcoming remarks, Minister Kim stated, "KUSPC symbolizes Korea's firm commitment and promise to assist in the revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry as an unprecedented cooperation platform in the global shipbuilding sector. It will serve as a base for Korean shipbuilding technology to take root across the U.S. coastal belt, and we will expedite the $150 billion shipbuilding cooperation investment."
During the event, 15 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed to enhance the effectiveness of Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation. The MOUs cover four areas: building Team Korea, supply chain collaboration, workforce development, and joint technology development. The Ministry expressed hope that these MOUs would contribute to strengthening the foundation of the shipbuilding industry in the U.S. and facilitate smooth operations for future Korean investments in the U.S.
In the Team Korea building area, major Korean shipbuilders such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, and Samsung Heavy Industries will collaborate with the Korea Shipbuilding Association, the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO), and KUSPC. The shipbuilders will support the modernization of U.S. shipyards and the establishment of a supply chain ecosystem, while KRISO will be responsible for joint research and demonstration of future shipbuilding and marine technologies. KUSPC will support the growth of the Korea-U.S. shipbuilding industry and assist Korean companies in entering the U.S. market through local information sharing.
In the supply chain collaboration area, Korean shipbuilding companies and U.S. partners will strengthen cooperation in equipment, design and production, and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO). HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering will pursue joint development and commercialization of next-generation design and production digital solutions with Siemens Industry Software.
Hanwha Ocean will promote participation in the shipbuilding industry supply chain with the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and local manufacturing companies. HD Hyundai Samho has also signed a contract to supply four state-of-the-art port cranes to Washington United Terminals, which operates the Port of Tacoma.
In the workforce development area, local shipbuilding technology training and recruitment connections will be pursued. Hanwha Philadelphia Shipyard will support shipbuilding technology training at Delaware County Community College in Pennsylvania, establishing a pipeline that leads to on-site internships and employment.
Samsung Heavy Industries will jointly establish a workforce training center with the U.S. Vigor Marine Group, equipped with advanced training infrastructure such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) welding training systems. KRISO, the Korea Shipbuilding Association, and KUSPC will jointly develop technical qualifications, safety training, and certification programs with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
In the joint technology development area, a total of 120 billion won will be allocated for Korea-U.S. joint research projects over five years. This initiative will combine Korea's shipbuilding production capabilities with the U.S.'s AI and robotics technologies to carry out eight projects, including ship design optimization, aluminum autonomous welding, large block painting automation, and autonomous navigation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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