Maritime Police Maintenance Center Completed After 7 Years of Construction... Launches New Era in Mokpo

Growing Expectations for Regional Economic Vitalization

Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, is cutting the ribbon with guests at the commissioning and inauguration ceremony of the Maritime Police Maintenance Depot held near the Mokpo New Port on the 4th. Provided by Jeonnam Province

After seven years of construction, the Maritime Police Maintenance Center held its commissioning and launch ceremony in Mokpo on March 4, officially marking the beginning of the Mokpo era.

The event was attended by Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, National Assemblyman Kim Won, and Cho Seokhoon, Acting Mayor of Mokpo, who celebrated the new start of the Maritime Police Maintenance Center and strengthened ties with the local community.

Located on Heosado Island near Mokpo New Port, the Maritime Police Maintenance Center serves as the main facility with five departments and a staff of 165, overseeing even the existing Busan Maintenance Center. It is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for large vessel maintenance, including a floating dock (a large barge-type structure designed for shipbuilding at sea), a ship lift, and a quay, enabling the docking (the process of lifting a vessel from the water onto land for repairs, painting, inspections, etc.) of vessels up to 5,000 tons.

Starting with the maintenance of 45 vessels this year, the center is expected to repair approximately 160 vessels annually from 2028 onward.

Jeonnam Province aims to leverage the establishment of the Maritime Police Maintenance Center in Mokpo to foster the joint growth of ship repair and equipment suppliers, thereby advancing the local ship repair industry to the next level.

To prioritize the participation of outstanding local ship repair and equipment companies in the center’s external contracts, Jeonnam Province has continuously collaborated with the Maritime Police and businesses, including co-hosting a public-private workshop in November last year.

Jeonnam Province also plans to strengthen the repair capabilities of local companies by fostering specialized personnel, providing equipment rentals, and offering consulting services in cooperation with organizations such as the Mokpo National Maritime University Ship Repair Support Center.

Furthermore, the province intends to fully support local ship repair companies’ entry into the naval vessel maintenance and repair business by participating in a Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Defense Acquisition Program Administration-led MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) project worth 16 billion won (scheduled from 2026 to 2030) this year.

Additionally, Jeonnam Province is actively working to attract key equipment suppliers, such as engine manufacturers essential for vessel maintenance, aiming to complete the ship repair industry ecosystem alongside the launch of the Maritime Police Maintenance Center.

With the expected influx of a significant number of residents—including center staff, subcontracted repair company personnel, as well as ship crew and trainees—Jeonnam Province is making multifaceted efforts to maximize the economic and cultural vitality of the region.

A Jeonnam Province official stated, "The first step taken together by the Maritime Police Maintenance Center and Jeonnam Province is to enhance the competitiveness of the regional ship repair industry," adding, "We hope the maintenance center, local community, and industry will join hands to open a new future."

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