The company said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Ontario Shipyards in Toronto on Feb. 18 for strategic cooperation. It also signed a three-way strategic cooperation letter of intent with Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College.
Canadian members of Parliament Aslam Rana, Chris Bittle, John Paul Danko and Shima Akan attended the event, the company said, welcoming closer shipbuilding and naval-industry cooperation between Canada and South Korea.
Under the MOU, Hanwha Ocean will provide Ontario Shipyards with ship design and engineering advice, production planning and process management support, help building quality-control systems, and advanced processes based on smart-shipyard technology. Hanwha Ocean said the goal is to gradually rebuild Ontario’s large-vessel construction capability and support Canada’s long-term naval industrial base.
The companies said they will pursue cooperation with an eye on future Canadian Navy projects, including the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. Hanwha Ocean said it will provide technical support starting in the preparation stage, including design work, for ships Ontario Shipyards will begin building this year.
Hanwha Ocean also said it will work with Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College to establish a “shipbuilding workforce training hub” at the shipyard.
The company said the hub will be tied to the shipyard’s 10- to 15-year expansion and modernization plan and will train key skilled workers in areas including welding, fabrication, marine machinery, electrical work, robotics and nondestructive testing.
The three organizations said they plan to move forward in stages, including building an integrated training campus at Ontario Shipyards, developing industry-led advanced training programs, setting up a workforce development system aligned with production and expansion plans, and jointly identifying applied research projects using technologies such as virtual reality, robotics and digital twins.
Shaun Padulo, CEO of Ontario Shipyards, said the shipyard is playing a leading role in rebuilding large-ship construction capability in Ontario. “Through our partnership with Hanwha Ocean, we will accelerate the rebuilding of shipbuilding capacity, the creation of high-quality jobs, and the strengthening of the marine and defense industrial base in Ontario and Canada,” he said.
Kim Hee-cheol, CEO of Hanwha Ocean, said the two agreements “are about the future of Hanwha Ocean and Ontario Shipyards” and will deepen friendship between Canada and South Korea. He said the company will “firmly build the foundation” for the successful execution of Canadian Navy projects, including the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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