Hanwha Ocean Strengthens Naval Ship MRO Business... Technology Agreement with German Defense Company

Increasing Global Defense Industry Demand... Recent Establishment of MRO Business Unit
Strengthening Cooperation in Submarine Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul with Gablur Through Technical Agreement

Hanwha Ocean is strengthening its capabilities in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) business in preparation for submarine exports and the performance upgrade project of the Republic of Korea Navy's submarines.

Hanwha Ocean recently announced on the 10th that it held discussions with the German defense company Gabler on ways to enhance cooperation between the two companies and signed a technical agreement to strengthen win-win cooperation in the submarine periscope mast MRO business.

On the 8th, Lee Yong-wook, Head of Hanwha Ocean's Special Ship Business Division, and Bella Tiede, CEO of Gabler, discussed cooperation plans and reached a consensus on mutually cooperative development measures. Hanwha Ocean decided to expand the scope of cooperation with Gabler, which holds key technologies for submarine periscope masts.

Subsequently, on the 9th, a signing ceremony for the technical agreement (SFA) to strengthen win-win cooperation in the submarine periscope mast MRO business was held. The periscope mast is equipment installed on the upper structure of a submarine, including periscopes, radar, and communication masts.

Through this technical agreement, the two companies will expand the licensing scope related to periscope mast technology beyond their existing cooperative relationship. They also plan to further enhance synergy through smooth parts supply via Gabler's Korean branch and technical cooperation on the periscope mast MRO business for the Republic of Korea Navy's submarines in the future. Hanwha Ocean explained that Gabler has prepared to strengthen its collaborative relationship with Hanwha Ocean by establishing Gabler Korea, its Korean branch, on the 3rd of this month.

Hanwha Ocean's Lee Yong-wook, Head of the Special Ship Division (fourth from the left), and Germany's Gabler Bela Tide CEO (fifth from the left), along with other company officials, held discussions and signed a technical agreement to strengthen win-win cooperation in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul business of submarine mast systems. Photo by Hanwha Ocean

Hanwha Ocean is promoting warship exports and post-export MRO business in line with the increasing global defense demand. To this end, it recently established an MRO business organization. MRO is essential after warship exports, and its scale is large, highlighting the importance of this business. In fact, major defense companies in Germany, the UK, and other countries generate continuous revenue through MRO business for over 30 years after exporting submarines and other vessels.

Lee Yong-wook, Head of Hanwha Ocean's Special Ship Business Division, said, “The Jangbogo-III submarine, which is currently receiving great attention in the global market, has a high localization rate with a stable domestic supply chain of domestic equipment, enabling sales tailored to each country's projects at any time. Starting with this Gabler technical agreement, we will strengthen our MRO capabilities and lead K-defense exports with Hanwha Ocean's unique super-gap defense competitiveness.”

Hanwha Ocean independently designed and developed a 3,000-ton class submarine, becoming the eighth country in the world to do so, and localized 80% of the Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine platform and key equipment. Over 200 domestic parts companies participated to increase the localization rate. This is expected to enable stable maintenance services required by submarine importing countries, providing important competitiveness for subsequent MRO business.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.