Hyundai Glovis Transports Tanks and Self-Propelled Howitzers to Poland, Proving 'K-Defense' Logistics Competitiveness

Safe Delivery of K2 Tanks and K9 Self-Propelled Howitzers to the Port of Gdansk
Handling Not Only Exports but Also Defense Exhibition Shipments

Hyundai Glovis announced on the 17th that it has successfully completed the transportation project for K2 tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers bound for Poland. This achievement is seen as accelerating the company's expansion into the breakbulk (large and heavy) specialized cargo transport business, including defense and heavy industries.

On the 13th (local time), Hyundai Glovis safely transported 20 K2 tanks from Hyundai Rotem and 21 K9 self-propelled howitzers from Hanwha Aerospace to the Port of Gdansk in Poland using a Glovis car carrier. Prior to this, the company also demonstrated its defense logistics capabilities by successfully transporting six K9 self-propelled howitzers to Estonia.

Defense cargo is directly linked to national security, requiring strict safety and punctuality throughout the transportation process. If parts are damaged by external shocks during transit, it can take a significant amount of time to reproduce and reassemble them, and delivery delays can lead to a decline in national credibility.

Leveraging its extensive experience in operating car carriers and its stable global network, Hyundai Glovis offers end-to-end (E2E) integrated logistics services, providing seamless transport from sea to land and demonstrating robust competitiveness in specialized cargo transportation. E2E refers to covering the entire logistics process from the point of origin to the final destination.

Since the first half of this year, Hyundai Glovis has safely transported 124 K2 tanks and 60 K9 self-propelled howitzers to Poland and various parts of Europe. Inland transportation in the local region was handled by its subsidiary Adampol, completing an E2E consolidated transport system from sea to land.

On the 13th, unloading operations of K2 tanks are underway on a Hyundai Glovis car carrier that arrived at the port of Gdansk, Poland. Photo by Hyundai Glovis

In addition, Hyundai Glovis is responsible not only for logistics related to K-defense exports but also for transporting cargo for major defense exhibitions, thereby contributing to the expansion of national defense sales. Since the end of 2024, the company has been in charge of transporting defense cargo exhibited at major defense exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Australia, the United States, and other countries, serving as a logistics partner supporting overseas sales of K-defense products.

Hyundai Glovis is also actively engaged in the transportation of heavy industrial and large breakbulk cargo. Breakbulk cargo refers to large and heavy special cargo that cannot be loaded into containers, such as power generation equipment, trains, aircraft, and mining machinery. The company plans to carry out additional large-scale maritime transport projects in the future, including high-speed trains, petrochemical plant equipment, and energy storage systems (ESS).

Hyundai Glovis's car carriers feature a multi-level enclosed structure that enables vehicles to be loaded and unloaded under their own power using the "Roll On-Roll Off (RORO)" method. This allows for the safe loading of large and heavy breakbulk cargo, such as tanks, self-propelled howitzers, and rail vehicles, without the need for cranes. Hyundai Glovis plans to increase its fleet of car carriers to 128 vessels by 2030. The additional vessels will be ultra-large ships capable of carrying up to 10,000 finished vehicles each.

According to market research firm DataIntelo, the global breakbulk transport market is estimated to be worth approximately $21.6 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to around $33.2 billion by 2033. In line with the growth of the global breakbulk market, Hyundai Glovis's related revenue is also rapidly increasing. The company's breakbulk transport division revenue jumped by about 29% in 2024 compared to the previous year and surged by 138% in 2025.

A Hyundai Glovis representative stated, "We will actively target the specialized cargo market based on the global transport capabilities we have accumulated so far," adding, "At the same time, we will contribute to the overseas expansion of national strategic industries and the stabilization of global supply chains."

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