Korea’s HJ Heavy Industries Wins First U.S. MRO Project

South Korea’s HJ Heavy Industries has signed its first repair and maintenance contract for a U.S. Navy support vessel. It becomes the first of Korea’s mid-sized shipyards to enter the business, which is seen as a lucrative segment for the companies.

The U.S. has sought to undertake more of the repair and maintenance work overseas, close to the area of deployment, to lessen the downtime for critical support ships. It is also a strategic relationship-building opportunity for the yards that look to gain more work as part of the Korean Make American Shipbuilding Great Again program.

HJ reports it had been working since 2024 to be certified to bid for the U.S. maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) market, and this year had completed the inspections with visits from the Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Korea, the U.S. Navy Supply Systems Command Field Inspection Team, and the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce. It followed HD Hyundai and Hanwha Ocean, which had previously been certified to undertake contracts. Hanwha Ocean has already completed two MRO contracts, and HD Hyundai recently won its first MRO contract.

The yard reports it won the MRO assignment for the USNS Amelia Earhart, a 40,000-ton displacement dry bulk and ammunition carrier. Commissioned in 2008, the vessel is capable of supplying up to 6,000 tons of ammunition, food, and cargo, as well as 2,400 tons of fuel. It is used for at-sea resupply of the U.S. carriers and warships.

The vessel is due to arrive at the Busan Yeongdo Shipyard in South Korea in January. The project includes maintenance work, inspections, repairs for the hull and major systems, replacement of parts, and painting. The ship is due to be delivered back to the U.S. Military Sealift Command around the end of March.

HJ Heavy Industries, which is the revitalization of the former Hanjin Shipyard, sees this as a turning point with international recognition for the mid-sized shipbuilder. It says this assignment will be its foundation in the MRO market, which is notable for the mid-sized shipbuilder.

The shipyard notes that it is also a continuation of its long heritage with naval shipping. It was the first Korean shipyard designated as a maritime defense contractor in 1974. In the past 50 years, it notes that it has worked on over 1,200 vessels, including construction and maintenance projects.