Hanwha Ocean Gains Edge in $60 Billion Canadian Next-Generation Submarine Contract Race

Prime Minister Mark Carney Visits Geoje Shipyard
Inspects Actual Submarine, Unlike in Germany
Stays 30 Minutes Longer Than Scheduled

As the final round of Canada’s next-generation submarine project (CPSP) approaches, Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, visited the Hanwha Ocean Geoje Shipyard to personally inspect the Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine. Unlike his visit to a German shipyard, where he only observed a model, this time he was able to review both the actual performance and the construction site of a real submarine. This is being seen as a turning point that could give Hanwha Ocean a competitive edge in securing the contract.

Kim Dong-kwan, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group (third from the left in the front row), is explaining to Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada (second from the left in the front row), about the submarine maintenance facilities and equipment planned to be installed locally in Canada. Provided by Hanwha Group

According to Hanwha Ocean on October 31, Prime Minister Carney visited the Geoje shipyard in South Gyeongsang Province the previous day together with Prime Minister Kim Minseok. Guided by Kim Dongkwan, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group, he boarded the recently launched Jang Youngsil submarine. The Jang Youngsil is the first vessel (Hull No. 1) in the Jangbogo-III Batch-II series currently under construction by Hanwha Ocean, and it is based on the same design proposed to the Royal Canadian Navy. Hanwha Ocean explained, "While the German shipyard did not have a completed submarine, this visit allowed us to showcase both a finished vessel and one under construction. The most significant point is that the Prime Minister was able to verify the actual capabilities of the submarine firsthand."

This visit served as an opportunity to validate the technical capabilities and production infrastructure of the CPSP proposal model presented by Hanwha Ocean. Prime Minister Carney inspected not only the newly launched first vessel (Jang Youngsil) but also other submarines under simultaneous construction, reviewing the submarine’s Combat Command Center (CCC), lithium battery system, and crew living quarters. It was reported that Prime Minister Carney stayed about 30 minutes longer than originally scheduled in the afternoon.

Both inside and outside the company, there is growing speculation that Hanwha Ocean’s chances of winning the contract have increased significantly following this visit. The fact that the completeness and construction capabilities of the submarine were verified in person is seen as a key factor in building trust in Hanwha Ocean’s technology and delivery reliability. Vice Chairman Kim Dongkwan stated, "The Canadian submarine project is one of the greatest achievements in Korean defense exports. Hanwha Group will mobilize all its capabilities to ensure this becomes a turning point for establishing a long-term partnership between Korea and Canada."

The CPSP is a 60 trillion won project to replace the four Victoria-class (2,400-ton) submarines introduced by the Royal Canadian Navy in 1998. Hanwha Ocean is proposing a solution based on the 3,000-ton Jangbogo-III Batch-II, tailored to Canada’s operational environment. The Jangbogo-III Batch-II is equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) and a lithium battery system, enabling long-duration underwater operations and a range of over 7,000 nautical miles (approximately 12,900 kilometers). It is regarded as the only submarine capable of fulfilling Canada’s "Three Ocean Strategy."

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