HD Hyundai announced on July 19 that it has forged a strategic partnership with Kiewit, a major American infrastructure design, procurement, and construction (EPC) company, to collaborate on shipbuilding projects.
EPC firms oversee the entire process of large-scale infrastructure projects, including factories, power plants, and offshore installations, from design to procurement and construction. These companies are often called turnkey providers because they manage projects from inception to completion, metaphorically handing over the keys when finished.
The partnership was sealed at Kiewit Offshore’s headquarters in Corpus Christi, Texas. The signing ceremony was attended by key figures from both companies, including Choi Han-nae, Head of Planning at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and Chad Johnson, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kiewit Offshore.
Kiewit stands as America’s largest integrated construction, engineering, and infrastructure specialist. The company has a strong foothold in major EPC projects across power generation, energy, marine, and industrial sectors. Its impressive portfolio includes the manufacture, installation, and commissioning of various large-scale offshore structures throughout North and South America, including Brazil.
Under this new alliance, both firms aim to explore joint shipbuilding opportunities in the United States and collaborate on the production of ship blocks and modules.
To achieve these goals, they plan to combine HD Hyundai’s expertise in design, equipment supply chain, and construction technology with Kiewit’s local manufacturing and construction capabilities. This synergy will enable them to jointly pursue business ventures in the U.S. market. Additionally, they intend to promote local production of ship blocks and modules.
A spokesperson for HD Hyundai stated that through the partnership with Kiewit, it aims to actively support U.S. efforts to revitalize its shipbuilding industry. The representative added that it also plans to seek new business opportunities in the booming North American infrastructure market by expanding the collaboration into the floating data center (FDC) sector.
It’s worth noting that HD Hyundai has been actively cultivating various collaborative projects in the U.S. In April and June of last year, the company signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Huntington Ingalls and Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO), respectively, for shipbuilding initiatives in the U.S.