Kim Dong-gwan, Hanwha Vice Chairman, Discusses MRO Business with U.S. Navy Admiral

US Navy Pacific Fleet Commander Visits Hanwha Ocean
"Contributing to Force Enhancement Through Successful Project Execution"
"Significant Progress in the ROK-US Alliance"

Kim Dong-kwan, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group, met with Admiral Steven Koehler, Commander of the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet, who visited Hanwha Ocean's Geoje shipyard, to discuss cooperation plans.

On the 24th, Vice Chairman Kim and Commander Koehler toured the 'Wally Schirra' ship undergoing maintenance at the Geoje shipyard and discussed the possibility of cooperation in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) business for U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) vessels deployed in the Indo-Pacific region.

Kim Dong-kwan, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group (front row, right), and Admiral Steven Koehler, Commander of the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet (center), are touring the maintenance site of the 'Wally Shira' ship undergoing repairs at the Hanwha Ocean Geoje plant on the 24th. (Provided by Hanwha Ocean)

Hanwha Ocean signed a Ship Maintenance Agreement (MSRA) in July to enter the U.S. Navy ship MRO business and secured the overhaul project for the Wally Schirra as its first project at the end of August. This logistics support ship, with a displacement of 40,000 tons, is scheduled to undergo about four months of maintenance work at the Geoje shipyard and be delivered to the U.S. Navy in January next year.

Vice Chairman Kim explained that Hanwha Ocean is increasing its understanding of the U.S. Navy ship maintenance management system through the Wally Schirra project. He promised to optimize Hanwha Ocean’s key equipment supply chain to ensure successful operations in future U.S. Navy ship MRO projects.

Commander Koehler responded, "Having a reliable partner in operating the Pacific Fleet is extremely important."

Vice Chairman Kim also stated, "We will respond to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Regional Sustainment Framework (RSF) plan and expand U.S. ship projects through this MRO business. Based on Hanwha Ocean’s technological capabilities and accumulated experience, we will contribute to strengthening the U.S. Navy’s capabilities by utilizing various measures, including the recently acquired Philip shipyard."

The U.S. Department of Defense plans to establish logistics maintenance hubs in five Indo-Pacific countries, including South Korea and Japan, under the RSF plan. In line with this, Hanwha Group is making efforts to enter the MRO business across U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force weapon systems.

Additionally, after inspecting the Wally Schirra maintenance site, they toured the submarine construction area, commercial ship and offshore plant construction area, and digital technology-based production facilities within Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard.

Commander Koehler said, "Hanwha Ocean’s undertaking of maintenance for U.S. military support ships in the Western Pacific is an important advancement in the Korea-U.S. alliance," adding, "It is a significant step that helps the U.S. Navy ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."

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