HD Hyundai Heavy Industries won an order for a dedicated icebreaker from overseas for the first time among Korean shipyards, making a full-fledged entry into the global icebreaker market.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said on the 22nd it signed a contract with the Swedish Maritime Administration to build one dedicated icebreaker worth $348.90 million (about 514.8 billion won).
The deal was won through a competitive bid against traditional European icebreaker powerhouses such as Finland and Norway, with price, delivery schedule and technical capability all recognized. Support from the Embassy of Korea in Sweden and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) Stockholm Trade Center also helped.
The dedicated icebreaker ordered this time is scheduled for delivery in 2029 and will carry out icebreaking support, fleet operation support, towing operations and ice management in the Baltic Sea of Sweden.
It is a large vessel 126 m long with a displacement of 15,000 tons, and has PC (Polar Class) 4 icebreaking capability that can break ice 1.0–1.2 m thick. An electric propulsion system will be applied.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to actively target the global market for naval vessels and special-purpose ships that require icebreaking functions, based on its icebreaker construction capabilities.
In particular, the United States last year passed a bill expanding the budget related to icebreakers to $9.0 billion and formed the ICE Pact with Canada and Finland to cooperate on icebreaker construction. The goal is to build 70–90 icebreakers over the next 10 years.
Joo Won-ho, president of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said, "With this order, the expansion of business capabilities through the merger of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Mipo has been recognized in the global market," and added, "We will broaden new export markets in the special-purpose ship sector based on our technological prowess and business integration capabilities."