Hanwha Ocean announced on the 13th that the United States Navy ship USNS Wally Schirra has completed maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) work and has departed.
The MRO for the Wally Schirra was the first MRO project for a U.S. Navy ship awarded to Hanwha Ocean in the domestic shipbuilding industry, and it was conducted over approximately six months, starting from August of last year.
The work included overall aspects such as maintenance and repair of the hull and machinery, inspection and replacement of major equipment, and system upgrades. Hanwha Ocean explained that it has demonstrated accomplishments by meeting the high standards of the U.S. Navy.
During the maintenance process, Hanwha Ocean utilized its own technological capabilities to identify new maintenance elements of the ship that were not recognized during the initial contract, leading to an extension of the contract period and significantly increased revenue compared to the original contract.
After signing a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the U.S. Navy in July of last year, Hanwha Ocean also secured a regular repair project for USNS YUKON in November of last year, following the Wally Schirra.
In particular, for the regular repair project of the Yukon, collaborations were made with small and medium-sized shipbuilding companies in the Geoje area of Gyeongnam to carry out the maintenance work, contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.
Patrick J. Moore, the commander of the U.S. Navy Sea Transportation Command's Korea dispatch, said, "The successful completion of the Wally Schirra project is evidence of the close cooperative relationship between South Korea and the United States," and added, "There will be many opportunities to further strengthen this cooperative relationship in the future."
Kim Dae-sik, Executive Director of Hanwha Ocean’s Special Vessel MRO Project Team, stated, "Through the success of this MRO project, we have once again demonstrated the technical capability and reliability of the South Korean shipbuilding industry to the world," and emphasized that "we will continue to strengthen U.S.-South Korea naval cooperation and create new opportunities in the global naval MRO market."