HJ Shipbuilding & Construction said on the 25th that officials from the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command visited the Busan Yeongdo Shipyard on the 23rd to assess its capability to carry out ship maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO; Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) work and responded positively.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction expects it could sign a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the U.S. side as early as November. A shipyard that signs an MSRA can participate in the U.S. Navy's MRO projects.
Seven people, including a deputy division commander under the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command, a quality supervisor, and a marine surveyor, reportedly took part in the on-site inspection at the Yeongdo Shipyard, conducting the rigorous qualification review required for U.S. Navy MRO projects.
They toured major ships and construction facilities at the Yeongdo Shipyard, including the Dokdo and high-speed landing craft currently under work. They exchanged views with managers in each process, including quality, safety, production, facilities, and materials.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has been preparing to enter the U.S. Navy MRO market, including by forming an "MRO cluster council" in Jul. with 10 Busan–South Gyeongsang shipbuilding-related specialized corporations for shared growth in naval MRO projects.
An HJ Shipbuilding & Construction official said, "We completed the on-site inspection to confirm the shipyard's actual operating conditions and capabilities after a document review and assessment of technical competence. Given the positive reviews from the inspection team, we expect to sign the MSRA agreement as early as November."
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction was designated in 1974 as Korea's first defense industry corporation for naval vessels. It is carrying out a range of naval MRO projects, including major overhauls and capability upgrades for large transport ships, high-speed ships, and various support ships.