HJ Heavy Industries said a Port Assessment carried out at its Busan Yeongdo shipyard on 5 January had been completed, closing out the final review step for a Ship Maintenance Repair Agreement, or MSRA, with the U.S. Navy. The company added that it expects the ship maintenance license to be signed within this month.
The yard had previously submitted its MSRA application to the U.S. Navy Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) last year. As part of the initial qualification process, a delegation from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) – including the deputy commanding officer, a quality assurance officer and a marine inspector – visited the Yeongdo facility for a first on-site inspection.
An MSRA is a framework agreement between the U.S. government and shipyards covering maintenance, repair and overhaul of U.S. Navy vessels. Shipyards that obtain MSRA status can bid for MRO projects on U.S. Navy ships, including warships that are subject to stringent security controls.
The Port Assessment at Busan Yeongdo forms part of a formal U.S. procedure used to review security readiness at foreign ports and how port-facility security requirements are implemented, serving in this case as the final gateway to concluding an MSRA. For this visit, security specialists from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) carried out an on-site inspection that covered port terrorism response procedures, application of security rules, access and facility control and surveillance systems, and management of technical information.
During the security assessment, HJ Heavy Industries briefed the team on the status of its Yeongdo yard facilities, its construction record for Republic of Korea Navy ships and Coast Guard patrol vessels, its performance on maintenance and repair projects, and its internal security regulations and day-to-day practices. According to the company, the assessors subsequently viewed the yard as a suitable shipyard for pursuing U.S. Navy MRO projects.
A company official noted that, following two rounds of on-site reviews by the U.S. Navy, HJ Heavy Industries has seen its capability to carry out MRO work for U.S. Navy vessels validated, adding that it expects to conclude the ship maintenance agreement within this month.
