Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has suspended operations at its Geoje shipyard following a fatal workplace accident involving an employee assigned to an LPG carrier under construction, prompting a public apology from the company’s chief executive.
In a statement released on 23 December 2025, issued in the name of CEO Choi Sung-an, Samsung Heavy Industries acknowledged shortcomings in its safety oversight and expressed condolences to the victim’s family. The company said it had not fully met its responsibilities in safety management and pledged to cooperate with follow-up measures.
The incident occurred the previous afternoon, 22 December 2025, at approximately 3:00 p.m., during preparatory work for dust removal inside a cargo tank of a liquefied petroleum gas carrier. According to the company, a site supervisor fell approximately 20 m while working inside the tank structure. The worker was transported to the hospital but later died from the injuries sustained.
As an immediate response, Samsung Heavy Industries ordered all work on the vessel involved to stop. The company also expanded the suspension to the entire Geoje shipyard, announcing a temporary halt of yard-wide operations while conducting special safety training and inspections.
The company said the decision to pause operations across the yard was intended to prevent secondary incidents and to reassess on-site safety procedures, particularly for enclosed-space and high-elevation work commonly associated with LNG and LPG carrier construction.
