Samsung Heavy Industries has signed a memorandum of agreement with U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO and Korean engineering firm DSEC, marking the company’s formal entry into an increasingly crowded race among Korean shipyards seeking a foothold in American defense markets.
The deal, announced at the International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans on December 3, will see the three companies collaborate on ship design, manufacturing automation, and workforce development. The partners are also exploring a joint bid for the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship program, which encompasses vessels designed to provide rapid resupply of fuel, ammunition, and provisions.
Samsung Heavy is the last of Korea’s major shipbuilders to establish a significant U.S. partnership. Rival Hanwha Ocean has already committed $5 billion to expand its Philly Shipyard acquisition, while HD Hyundai formed a multibillion-dollar investment fund with Cerberus Capital Management. The moves come under Seoul’s $150 billion “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again” initiative, part of a broader trade deal that reduced U.S. tariffs on Korean goods.
Whether these partnerships translate into actual contracts remains uncertain. The U.S. Navy’s procurement process is notoriously complex, and Buy American provisions limit foreign involvement in defense shipbuilding. Samsung Heavy, which dominates global markets for LNG carriers and floating production units, has yet to disclose financial terms or specific project timelines.
