HD Hyundai announced on Tuesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Huntington Ingalls, the largest defense shipbuilder in the United States, to enhance shipbuilding productivity and cooperate on advanced shipbuilding technologies. The agreement aims to strengthen HD Hyundai’s capabilities in naval vessel production and accelerate its entry into the U.S. market through collaboration with a leading American shipbuilding firm.
The signing ceremony was held on Monday at the Huntington Ingalls exhibition booth during the Sea-Air-Space (SAS) 2025 expo in Washington, D.C. Ju Won-ho, Head of Special Ship Business at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Brian Blanchette, President of Ingalls Shipbuilding, were in attendance.
Ingalls Shipbuilding, located in the southern U.S. state of Mississippi, is the largest surface shipbuilder in the country. Through this facility, Huntington Ingalls is currently building two-thirds of the Aegis destroyers recently ordered by the U.S. Navy, along with large amphibious assault ships and major patrol vessels.
Under the MOU, the two companies will combine their expertise and capabilities in naval vessel construction to maximize efficiency in ship production. They also agreed to share know-how to reduce construction costs and shorten delivery schedules.
The partnership will also promote automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) as part of efforts to establish a digital shipyard. Additionally, both sides plan to collaborate on workforce training and participation in the supply chain for shipbuilding equipment and materials. Joint investment opportunities will also be explored in the future.
Meanwhile, at the same Sea-Air-Space expo, HD Hyundai signed an MOU with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for design certification of a lightweight logistics support vessel for the U.S. Navy. The company also signed another MOU with Fairbanks Morse Defense, a U.S. defense equipment supplier, to strengthen cooperation within the local U.S. supply chain.