SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - South Korea's HJ Shipbuilding has signed its first maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) contract with the U.S. Navy, marking its entry into the shipbuilding cooperation project between South Korea and the United States, the company said on Monday.
The contract covers mid-level maintenance of the USNS Amelia Earhart, a 40,000-ton dry cargo and ammunition ship operated under the U.S. Navy’s Naval Supply Systems Command and Military Sealift Command.
Commissioned in 2008, the USNS Amelia Earhart supports U.S. Navy operations by delivering up to 6,000 tons of ammunition, food and cargo, as well as about 2,400 tons of fuel. The vessel, named after pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart, is 210 meters long and 32 meters wide, with a top speed of 20 knots.
HJ Shipbuilding said it will begin maintenance work at its Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan in January and aims to redeliver the ship to the U.S. Navy by the end of March. The company described the contract as a key step toward entering the U.S. Navy’s MRO market, which has high entry barriers but offers strong long-term returns.
The MASGA project, along with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Regional Sustainment Framework policy, is strengthening defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and boosting expectations within South Korea’s defense industry, analysts say.
HJ Shipbuilding has been preparing to enter overseas MRO markets since 2024, building on its experience as South Korea’s first marine defense contractor since 1974. Earlier this year, the company applied for a Master Ship Repair Agreement licence and underwent a site inspection in September to assess its facilities for U.S. Navy maintenance work.
“This contract recognizes our maintenance capabilities and technical expertise on the global stage,” Chief Executive Yoo Sang-chul said. “We will meet the U.S. Navy’s delivery schedules and quality standards, and build long-term trust based on our 50 years of experience.”
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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