$150 Billion 'MASGA' Launched as Korea-US Shipbuilding Partnership Center Opens in the US

Fifteen Cooperation MOUs Signed on Joint R&D, Supply Chains, and Workforce Development
Full-Scale Support for U.S. Shipyard Modernization, Joint Research, and Korean Investment in the U.S.

South Korea and the United States have officially launched the Korea-US Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC), a permanent base for cooperation in the shipbuilding sector, in Washington, D.C., United States, marking the official commencement of the MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) project, valued at USD 150 billion. The two countries plan to use the center as a hub for shipyard modernization, supply chain development, workforce training, and joint research and development (R&D), aiming both to support the revival of the American shipbuilding industry and to facilitate the entry of Korean companies into the US market.

On July 23 (local time), the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced that it held the KUSPC opening ceremony at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., attended by Minister Kim Jeong-kwan and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. The center opened roughly two months after the two nations signed the “Korea-US Shipbuilding Partnership Initiative” memorandum of understanding (MOU) in May.

The ceremony was attended by more than 130 participants, including officials from both governments and legislatures, as well as representatives from the shipbuilding industry. From Korea, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Heavy Industries, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, and HMM participated. From the US, key officials from the Department of Commerce, Department of the Navy, Maritime Administration, the White House, and major companies such as Huntington Ingalls, General Dynamics, and Anduril joined the event.

Minister Kim stated, “KUSPC is an unprecedented platform for shipbuilding cooperation, symbolizing Korea’s commitment to supporting the revival of the American shipbuilding industry,” and added, “With the support of the Korean government, our advanced shipbuilding technologies will take root along the US coast through this center.” He continued, “We will quickly push forward with the USD 150 billion shipbuilding partnership investment,” and requested ongoing procurement orders, incentives, and regulatory easing from the US side.

At the opening ceremony, 15 cooperation MOUs were signed to officially kick off the MASGA project. The areas of cooperation include: forming “Team Korea,” supply chain collaboration, workforce development, and joint technology development. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy expects that these agreements will not only strengthen the foundations of the US shipbuilding industry but also support Korean companies’ investment and operations in the US market.

First, the “Team Korea” structure includes HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Heavy Industries, the Korea Shipbuilders’ Association, the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO), and KUSPC. The shipbuilding companies will support modernization of US shipyards and development of the local shipbuilding ecosystem; KRISO will be responsible for joint research on future shipbuilding technologies; and KUSPC will focus on sharing local information and building a cooperation network.

There were five supply chain collaborations in total. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and Siemens USA will jointly develop next-generation digital design and production solutions. Hanwha Ocean will work with the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce to expand the regional manufacturing supply chain. HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries will supply four state-of-the-art port cranes to Washington United Terminals in the United States, and domestic equipment manufacturers will help strengthen maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) capabilities at US shipyards.

For workforce training, Hanwha Philly Shipyard will operate a shipbuilding technology education and employment linkage program with Delaware County Community College (DCCC) in the United States, and Samsung Heavy Industries will jointly establish a VR/AR-based training center with Vigo Marine Group. KRISO, the Korea Shipbuilders’ Association, and KUSPC will work with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to jointly develop international technical qualification, safety training, and certification programs.

Large-scale joint technology development is also planned. Over the next five years, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will carry out a Korea-US shipbuilding joint research project worth a total of KRW 120 billion. Sixteen companies and institutions from both countries will jointly conduct eight projects, including ship design optimization using artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, core component manufacturing based on 3D printing, autonomous aluminum welding, automation of painting for large blocks, autonomous transport equipment, AI-based piping production, VR operator training, and AI-driven unmanned surface vehicles.

Separately, Samsung Heavy Industries will work with Saronic Technologies in the United States to jointly develop unmanned surface vessels, and will collaborate with Conrad Shipyard and ABS on the design and certification of LNG bunkering vessels. Hanwha Ocean will co-design global high-speed transport vessels with US naval design specialist Gibbs & Cox. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering plans to develop next-generation autonomous navigation platforms with ABSG Consulting.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy explained that in the future, KUSPC will serve as the main hub overseeing site productivity consulting, workforce training programs, R&D, technology exchange, and direct investment-related Korea-US cooperation projects in the US. This year, the government plans to inject KRW 6.6 billion in funding to support the center’s operations, and, in collaboration with Korea-US Strategic Investment Corporation and policy financial institutions, will systematically support Korean shipbuilding companies’ investment and shipbuilding cooperation with the US.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.