U.S. Senator Dave McCormick visited the Hanwha Ocean Geoje shipyard to discuss closer cooperation between the Korean and U.S. shipbuilding industries. Discussions included opportunities involving Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Pennsylvania, the state McCormick represents.

The company outlined its bilateral shipbuilding activities and potential collaboration with the Philadelphia yard. McCormick toured the smart shipyard, viewed its automated systems and inspected naval vessel construction facilities. He also went aboard a Future Frigate eXperimental (FFX) Batch-III vessel being built at Geoje.

According to Hanwha Ocean, McCormick praised the company’s technical capabilities, productivity, quality and safety. He said he expected the company to contribute to Philadelphia’s shipbuilding industry through Hanwha Philly Shipyard.

The company’s existing U.S. partnerships span vessel design, workforce development and supply chains. Hanwha Ocean and Leidos Gibbs & Cox are jointly designing a Global Fast Sealift (GFS), while cooperation with Hanwha Philly Shipyard and Delaware County Community College focuses on developing skilled shipbuilding workers.

The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and other regional organizations are also working with Hanwha Ocean on shipbuilding supply chain development.

These activities follow a cooperation framework established with U.S. partners in July at the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center. It covers ship design and development, workforce training and supply chains.

Hanwha Ocean presented these partnerships as part of its activities under MASGA, or Make America Shipbuilding Great Again. The company said it planned to broaden cooperation with U.S. stakeholders.