Princess Anne of the British royal family visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan headquarters on the 14th to tour the warship construction site and engine production facilities and discuss ways to cooperate between Korea and the United Kingdom in the shipbuilding and maritime industries.
According to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the visit was accompanied by Princess Anne's husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, and Colin Crooks, British ambassador to Korea. HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Vice Chairman Lee Sang-gyun, President Joo Won-ho, and other executives welcomed Princess Anne's party and introduced the company's shipbuilding technology and business status.
The ties between HD Hyundai and the British royal family date back to the late founder Chung Ju-yung. In 1977, Chung received the Commander of the Order of the British Empire for contributions to promoting trade between the two countries. In 1983, while promoting Seoul's Olympic bid in London, he met Princess Anne.
The visit came as the British government is pushing to foster the shipbuilding and maritime industries. Princess Anne toured HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' ship and special ship construction sites and engine plant, and received briefings on ongoing cooperative projects with British defense companies including Rolls-Royce and Beaufort.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has been working with Rolls-Royce since 2012 under a South Korean Navy frigate program. Rolls-Royce supplies the MT30 gas turbine, a core propulsion unit, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries integrates it into a propulsion package for delivery. This propulsion system is being applied to the Republic of Korea Navy's next-generation frigates.
With Beaufort, a supplier of survival equipment for warship crews, cooperation has continued since 2013, starting with deliveries of submarine lifesaving gear. Beaufort equipment has also been fitted to a number of vessels, including the Philippine offshore patrol vessels under construction by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Chairman Chung said, "The United Kingdom is not just a cooperating nation but a special partner that shared HD Hyundai's beginning," adding, "Based on HD Hyundai's best-in-class technology and shipbuilding capabilities, we will help advance the United Kingdom's shipbuilding and maritime industries."