Hanwha Ocean said on the 19th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ontario Shipyards for strategic cooperation in Toronto, Canada, on the 18th. It also signed a three-party letter of intent (LOI) for strategic cooperation with Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College. The partnership is seen as aimed at winning the Canada Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP).
Under the partnership, Hanwha Ocean will provide Ontario Shipyards with advanced shipbuilding technology and operational know-how, including design and engineering consulting, production planning and process management, quality management system establishment, and advanced processes based on a smart shipyard. Through this, it plans to gradually rebuild Ontario's large-vessel construction capabilities and support the long-term strengthening of Canada's naval industrial base.
Founded in 1987, Ontario Shipyards is the largest shipyard in the Great Lakes region, with a total of six docks (dock·shipbuilding facilities) and a track record of carrying out more than 100 MRO projects.
Hanwha Ocean will work with Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College to establish a "shipbuilding workforce development hub" within Ontario Shipyards. Tied to plans to expand and modernize the shipyard over the next 10–15 years, it plans to train core skilled workers in shipbuilding, including welding, fabrication, marine machinery, electrical, Robotics, and nondestructive testing.
Specifically, the parties will pursue the creation of an integrated training campus within the shipyard, the development of industry-led advanced training programs, the establishment of a workforce training system linked to shipyard production and expansion plans, and joint identification of applied research projects using new technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Robotics, and Digital Twin.
If CPSP is won, they will also pursue strategic investments, including the potential establishment of a shipbuilding-specialized education and training center in Ontario, and an expansion of industrial cooperation with local companies.
Shaun Padulo, head of Ontario Shipyards, said, "Through our partnership with Hanwha Ocean, we will introduce world-class shipbuilding expertise and proven production systems to accelerate the rebuilding of shipbuilding capabilities, the creation of high-quality jobs, and the strengthening of the marine and defense industrial base in Ontario and Canada."
Kim Hee-cheul, head of Hanwha Ocean, said, "(This partnership) is meaningful in that it goes beyond simple technology transfer to embed Hanwha Ocean's advanced shipbuilding processes and operational know-how locally in Canada," and added, "We will firmly build the foundation for the successful execution of Canadian naval programs, including CPSP."