The Republic of Korea and the United States have officially opened the Korea–U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington, D.C. This new center aims to boost cooperation in rebuilding the U.S. shipbuilding industry through investments, technology sharing, workforce training, and joint research.
The center was launched last week by South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy, JK Kim, and U.S. Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick. This event occurred just over two months after both governments signed an agreement to create the Korea–U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Initiative (KUSPI).
About 130 representatives from governments and industries attended the ceremony, including Acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao, U.S. Maritime Administration officials, lawmakers from both nations, and leaders from South Korea's major shipbuilders, like HD Hyundai, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Heavy Industries, and HJ Shipbuilding & Construction.
Minister Kim referred to KUSPC as “a unique platform for shipbuilding cooperation and a symbol of Korea's strong commitment to helping rebuild the U.S. shipbuilding industry.”
“With government support, KUSPC will introduce Korea's top-notch shipbuilding technologies to shipyards on both U.S. coasts and quickly push forward the $150 billion shipbuilding investment,” Kim stated, while encouraging the U.S. government to provide ongoing shipbuilding orders, incentives, and regulatory reforms.
KUSPC Director Lee Jong-geon mentioned that the center will connect governments, shipyards, universities, research institutes, and investors, and will enhance productivity at U.S. shipyards, train American workers, and foster collaborative research and development.
“We will transform the $150 billion investment into real results and help restore the competitiveness of the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” Lee stated.
Building on the MASGA Initiative
The inception of KUSPC signifies the next phase of the Korea–U.S. Maritime and Shipbuilding Growth Alliance (MASGA), which is a $150 billion partnership announced in July 2025 as part of a wider U.S.-South Korea trade agreement.
South Korean officials highlighted this initiative—where the acronym echoes President Donald Trump’s “Make America Shipbuilding Great Again” slogan—as the key to negotiations that resulted in lower U.S. tariffs on Korean imports. This initiative includes investments in U.S. shipyards, workforce training, supply chain enhancement, technology sharing, and support for repairing and maintaining U.S. Navy ships.
This partnership comes at a time when Washington aims to revive its commercial and naval shipbuilding capabilities to compete more effectively with China, as South Korea's competitive shipbuilders expand their presence in the U.S.
Fifteen Agreements Signed
The opening ceremony also featured the signing of 15 memorandums of understanding between Korean and U.S. companies and institutions in four areas: industrial cooperation, supply chains, workforce development, and joint research.
Significant agreements included the formation of “Team Korea,” a collaborative effort led by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Heavy Industries, the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association (KOSHIPA), the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO), and KUSPC. This team aims to modernize U.S. shipyards, develop domestic supplier networks, and support Korean companies entering the American market.
Some partnerships focus on increasing U.S. industrial capacity. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering will work with Siemens Industry Software on new digital ship design and production technologies, while Hanwha Ocean has partnered with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce to help local manufacturers enter the shipbuilding supply chain.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering will also evaluate productivity at Fraser Industries and introduce automation technologies. Meanwhile, HD Hyundai Samho has agreed to supply four advanced container cranes to Washington United Terminals at the Port of Tacoma.
In terms of workforce development, Hanwha Philly Shipyard is partnering with Delaware County Community College to expand shipbuilding training programs and create job opportunities. Samsung Heavy Industries and Vigor Marine Group will establish an advanced maritime training center featuring virtual and augmented reality welding systems.
Lastly, KRISO, KOSHIPA, and KUSPC will collaborate with the American Bureau of Shipping to create internationally recognized technical qualification, safety, and certification programs for the maritime workforce.
Joint Research and Advanced Technologies
Both governments also announced a five-year cooperative research program valued at about $80 million, funded by South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy.
This initiative will support eight joint research projects involving companies and research institutions from Korea and the U.S., focusing on AI-enhanced ship design, robotics, automated welding, large ship block painting, and autonomous navigation technologies.
Several industry partnerships were also established. Samsung Heavy Industries and Saronic will apply advanced automation technologies in U.S. shipyards and work together on unmanned surface vessel development. Additionally, Samsung Heavy Industries will partner with Conrad Shipyard and the American Bureau of Shipping on LNG bunkering vessel designs and certifications.
Hanwha Ocean and Leidos Gibbs & Cox will collaborate on the design of the proposed Global Fast Sealift vessel. Meanwhile, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and ABSG Consulting will work together on an operating platform for next-generation autonomous ships.
Looking Ahead
The Korean government has set aside approximately KRW 6.6 billion ($4.8 million) to support KUSPC's operations in 2026. Located in Washington, the center will supervise productivity consulting for U.S. shipyards, workforce training, research collaboration, technology exchange, and investment projects between Korean and American companies.
Officials noted that KUSPC will closely work with the U.S. government, Congress, and industry to enhance conditions for Korean investments in the U.S. shipbuilding sector while planning future projects under the broader MASGA initiative.
The launch follows a series of recent partnerships in the Korea–U.S. shipbuilding sector announced over the last year, which include collaborations involving Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, HD Hyundai, Saronic, and U.S. shipyards focused on autonomous vessels, naval construction, and updating America's aging shipbuilding industry.