The Republic of Korea and the United States opened the Korea–U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center in Washington, D.C., on 23 July 2026, creating a U.S. hub for bilateral shipbuilding cooperation.
The opening followed the 8 May 2026 memorandum of understanding that established the Korea–U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Initiative (KUSPI). Minister JK Kim and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick attended the ceremony.
The center, known as KUSPC, will support cooperation among government agencies, shipyards, research institutions, universities and investors. Its work will include productivity consulting for U.S. shipyards, workforce training, joint research, technology exchanges and investment support.
KUSPC will also serve as the main U.S. hub for the MASGA initiative and support the planned $150 billion shipbuilding investment.
Korean and U.S. companies and institutions signed 15 memoranda of understanding at the opening. The agreements cover Team Korea, shipbuilding supply chains, workforce development and joint research and development.
Six Korean organizations formed Team Korea: HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Heavy Industries, the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association, the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering and KUSPC.
The group will support U.S. shipyard modernization, local supplier development, technology cooperation and Korean companies seeking to enter the U.S. market.
Under the supply chain agreements, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and Siemens Industry Software Inc. will develop digital solutions for ship design and production.
Hanwha Ocean will work with the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia to expand participation by local manufacturers in the shipbuilding supply chain.
JJ&Companies will provide equipment and repair technology to Nichols Brothers Boat Builders and Everett Ship Repair to support vessel maintenance, repair and overhaul operations.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering will assess productivity at Fraser Industries and introduce automation technology. HD Hyundai Samho also signed a contract to supply four port cranes to Washington United Terminals at the Port of Tacoma.
The workforce agreements include cooperation between Hanwha Philly Shipyard and Delaware County Community College. The programme will connect trainees with shipbuilding skills education, on-the-job training and employment.
Samsung Heavy Industries and Vigor Marine Group will establish a maritime training centre using virtual reality and augmented reality welding systems.
KRISO, KOSHIPA and KUSPC will also work with the American Bureau of Shipping on technical qualifications, safety training, certification and practical shipbuilding programmes.
MOTIR will fund a five-year Korea–U.S. shipbuilding research programme with KRW 120 billion, approximately $80 million. Seven Korean organizations and nine U.S. counterparts signed agreements covering eight projects.
The research will address ship design optimisation, autonomous aluminium welding, automated painting of large ship blocks and autonomous navigation, combining Korean production capabilities with U.S. technologies in artificial intelligence and robotics.
Samsung Heavy Industries and Saronic Technologies will apply automation technology at U.S. shipyards and jointly develop unmanned surface vessels.
Samsung Heavy Industries will also work with Conrad Shipyard and the American Bureau of Shipping on LNG bunkering vessel design, construction and technical certification.
Hanwha Ocean and Leidos Gibbs & Cox will jointly design the Global Fast Sealift. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and ABSG Consulting will develop, test and validate an operating platform for next-generation autonomous vessels.
DAPA Minister Lee Yong-cheol said the agency would seek further cooperation involving naval vessels and support Korean companies entering U.S. shipbuilding and defense supply chains.
KUSPC has received KRW 6.6 billion in Korean government funding for 2026. MOTIR said the center would coordinate with U.S. counterparts, the Korea–U.S. Strategic Investment Corporation and policy finance institutions to support Korean shipbuilding investment and bilateral vessel construction projects.
