HJ Shipbuilding & Construction secured a maintenance contract for a U.S. Navy logistics vessel, marking its entry into a market already being worked by South Korea’s bigger shipbuilders.
The mid-sized Busan-based company said it signed an intermediate maintenance agreement with the U.S. Navy Supply Systems Command and Military Sealift Command for the USNS Amelia Earhart, a 40,000-ton dry cargo and ammunition ship. Work will begin in January at the company’s Yeongdo Shipyard, with delivery scheduled by the end of March.
The deal comes as Washington increasingly turns to South Korean yards to service its fleet, with American shipbuilding capacity under strain. Hanwha Ocean completed maintenance on a similar vessel earlier this year, and HD Hyundai has also qualified to bid for Navy contracts.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, designated as Korea’s first naval defense contractor in 1974, has been working since last year to gain certification for the U.S. MRO market. The company’s CEO cited the contract as validation of its technical capabilities, though the firm faces stiff competition from larger Korean rivals with more resources and experience handling American naval work.
The USNS Amelia Earhart supplies ammunition, food, and fuel to aircraft carriers and combat ships. Commissioned in 2008, the vessel requires periodic maintenance to remain operational.
