HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will begin design work next January on a custom-built submarine for the Peruvian Navy. The company plans to use the experience from this programme to develop a ‘K-Submarine’ export model for global markets, including Central and South America.
The company announced on the 21st that it had signed a joint development contract for a next-generation submarine on the 19th with the Peruvian Navy and SIMA Shipyard at the state-owned shipyard in Lima, Peru. The deal follows a letter of intent on joint development and joint construction of submarines signed in Gyeongju during last November’s APEC period, with the initial phase defined as the design stage. Design work will start next January and is scheduled to continue for 11 months.
Together, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and the Peruvian government aim to develop a new submarine tailored to Peru to replace the navy’s aging boats. The design will reflect local operating conditions, as the Peruvian Navy mainly conducts operations in deep waters exceeding 3,000 m, in contrast to the seas around the Korean Peninsula. Taking these conditions into account, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans a Peru-focused design that incorporates the latest weapons, equipment and communication systems. The submarine will then be built locally through joint construction by SIMA Shipyard, Peru’s largest state-owned shipyard, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
An HD Hyundai Heavy Industries official said the project goes beyond a simple submarine sale, as it involves developing and constructing a customised boat that reflects detailed customer requirements. The official added that, under the contract, the company intends to participate as a key partner in Peru’s submarine programme and to target the Central and South American submarine market.
Peruvian President Jose Jeri attended the signing ceremony in person. The project is regarded as a core element of the Peruvian government’s strategy to modernise naval forces and strengthen the capabilities of the shipbuilding industry. He said the contract between SIMA Shipyard and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries not only symbolises efforts to reinforce Peru’s shipbuilding sector, but also represents substantive and strategic cooperation between Peru and the Republic of Korea, and stated that Peru would pursue the project with strong determination.
The contract is also viewed as having been strongly supported by government-level cooperation, including reviews by the Ministry of National Defense and the Navy on the potential provision of retired vessels, as well as backing from DAPA and the South Korean Embassy in Peru. Before this submarine project, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed a contract with Peru in April last year to build four surface vessels across three different designs, establishing a defence industry cooperation framework with the country.
