HD Hyundai Heavy, Full-Scale Advancement into Saudi Shipbuilding Business

Participation in the WDS 2024 International Defense Exhibition
held in Riyadh from the 4th to the 8th

The HD Hyundai Heavy Industries booth at 'WDS 2024,' held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, from the 4th to the 8th. Photo by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is actively advancing its entry into the Saudi naval shipbuilding sector following its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the shipbuilding field.

From the 4th to the 8th, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is participating in the ‘WDS 2024 (World Defense Show 2024)’ held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, showcasing state-of-the-art warships including the latest frigate ‘Chungnamham,’ training ships, and submarines, highlighting the excellent technology of K-defense industry.

WDS is an international defense industry exhibition held biennially by Saudi Arabia, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is participating again following the inaugural event in 2022.

The Chungnamham, the lead ship of the Ulsan-class frigate Batch-Ⅲ developed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, attracted significant attention from overseas naval officials including those from Saudi Arabia at the ‘2023 International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX)’ held in Busan last year, and received favorable reviews at WDS 2024, the largest defense exhibition in the Middle East.

Chungnamham is the latest combat ship of the Republic of Korea Navy equipped with domestically developed cutting-edge Integrated Sensor Mast (ISM) and four-sided fixed multifunction phased array radar (MFR). HD Hyundai Heavy Industries aims to deliver the ship to the navy ahead of the originally planned schedule by progressing through all phases from design, construction, to testing and evaluation without delay, based on its differentiated technological capabilities.

In addition to Chungnamham, the 3,000-ton class submarine also drew great interest from overseas officials. Leveraging this WDS, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to take full-scale steps to enter the Saudi naval shipbuilding business by promoting cooperation with Saudi government agencies and local companies in line with ‘Saudi Vision 2030.’

Joo Won-ho, Head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Special Ship Business, said, “We are pleased to introduce HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ excellent advanced defense industry technology to the Middle Eastern and European markets through ‘WDS 2024.’ We will strengthen defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia based on HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ outstanding capabilities as a total naval solution company, including shipbuilding technology, project management, and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul).”

Meanwhile, HD Hyundai has established a close cooperative relationship with Saudi Arabia in the shipbuilding business. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore, the intermediate holding company of HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding division, is jointly building the IMI (International Maritime Industries) shipyard in the King Salman Shipbuilding Industrial Complex near Jubail in eastern Saudi Arabia in partnership with Saudi Aramco Development Company (SADCO) and the Saudi state-owned shipping company Bahri. IMI, the largest shipyard in the Middle East, is scheduled to begin operations by the end of this year.

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