SEOUL, July 26 (AJP) -South Korea's Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA) initiative recorded its first visible commercial milestone after HD Hyundai secured a contract to supply four port cranes for an HMM-operated terminal in the U.S., in a project combining Korean shipbuilding, steelmaking and port logistics.
HD Hyundai said Sunday that HD Hyundai Samho signed an agreement with Washington United Terminals (WUT), the operator of HMM's container terminal at the Port of Tacoma in Washington state, to supply two ship-to-shore cranes and two rubber-tired gantry cranes.
The project will replace two aging quay cranes originally supplied by HD Hyundai Samho in 1999 while adding two new yard cranes, expanding cargo-handling capacity and improving the terminal's ability to service larger container vessels. The equipment is scheduled for delivery by 2028 under a turnkey contract covering design, manufacturing, transportation, installation and commissioning.
The cranes will be built using premium steel produced by POSCO, making the project one of the first to integrate South Korea's shipbuilding, steel and logistics industries under the Korea-U.S. maritime cooperation framework.
The contract is being viewed as the first tangible commercial outcome of MASGA, the Korea-U.S. shipbuilding partnership unveiled as part of Seoul's broader trade and industrial package with Washington. The initiative seeks to leverage South Korea's world-leading shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing capabilities to help revitalize the U.S. maritime industry while expanding bilateral industrial cooperation.
The Tacoma project follows the recent launch of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington, which is expected to serve as a platform for joint shipbuilding, port modernization and maritime supply-chain projects.
Industry officials said HD Hyundai Samho's long track record in the United States helped secure the order. Since entering the U.S. market in 1985, the company has supplied 20 port cranes to major American ports, including equipment currently operating at Tacoma.
"Winning the Tacoma port crane project demonstrates the technological expertise and quality competitiveness we have built through numerous domestic and overseas projects," an HD Hyundai Samho official said. "We will continue developing environmentally friendly, high-efficiency port equipment to successfully support the MASGA initiative."
HMM said the modernization of WUT would strengthen the terminal's operational efficiency and improve logistics services for global customers while supporting the company's broader investment in port infrastructure alongside fleet expansion.
Separately, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering last week signed a definitive agreement with Siemens Digital Industries Software in Washington to develop an AI-powered next-generation marine platform and digital shipyard.
The partnership aims to create an autonomous manufacturing system linking every stage of shipbuilding—from design and production to logistics, inspection and sea trials—through AI, digital twins and automation, further reinforcing Korea's role in modernizing the U.S. shipbuilding industry under the broader MASGA framework.
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