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| A rendered image shows the next-generation naval ships that HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will disclose at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2023 in Busan on Wednesday. Courtesy of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries |
By Park Jae-hyuk
Busan will become the venue for a showdown between Korea's two leading naval ship manufacturers later this week, according to industry officials, Monday.
During the biennial International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2023 to be held in BEXCO from Wednesday to Friday as part of the Marine Week 2023, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean will open their exhibition pavilions right next to each other, to showcase their cutting-edge warship technologies to naval officials from around the world.
HD Hyundai plans to unveil replicas of its next-generation KDDX-class destroyer, upgraded CVX-class aircraft carrier and offshore patrol vessel for export, as well as a conceptual image for an unmanned command and control ship.
It will also seek mutual cooperation with Babcock Canada to export submarines and sign a partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries to jointly develop a simulator that will support training the crews of naval vessels for export.
"Based on HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' excellent technologies, we will play the leading role in establishing the Republic of Korea Navy's integrated defense system and exporting naval ships to foreign countries," Joo Won-ho, head of the company's special shipbuilding business unit, said in a press release distributed Sunday.
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| A rendered image shows Hanwha Ocean's exhibition pavilion at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2023 in Busan. Courtesy of Hanwha Ocean |
The day after HD Hyundai issued the press release, Hanwha Ocean also said in its press release that the company will display four types of surface vessels ― the Ulsan-class Batch III frigate, the KDDX-class destroyer, the smart destroyer and the arsenal ship ― in addition to two types of submarines for export and an unmanned underwater vehicle. Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems will also exhibit their technologies at the MADEX 2023.
This is the first time for Hanwha Ocean to participate in the exhibition, since it changed its name from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) following Hanwha Group's acquisition of the shipbuilder.
Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan is said to be visiting the exhibition venue on Wednesday, while inspecting Hanwha Ocean's shipyard on Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province the same day, for the first time since the takeover.
During the forthcoming event, Hanwha Ocean, which is better known for its submarine technologies, will focus more on promoting its ability to build surface vessels, so as to win government order for the construction of the fifth and sixth Ulsan-class Batch III frigates.
HD Hyundai won the order to build the first ship for the government project to replace the Navy's outdated frigates. SK Oceanplant won the bid to build the second, third and fourth ships by offering excessively lower prices, which has drawn concerns among shipbuilding industry officials.
Hanwha Ocean expressed confidence about winning the upcoming bid, considering the fact that HD Hyundai received minus 1.8 points after its employees were found guilty in 2020 of stealing DSME's data on the KDDX-class destroyer's design in 2014.
"With its leading technologies, Hanwha Ocean has led the development of Korean naval ships, and through Hanwha Group's strategic investments, it is preparing for new developments in surface vessel manufacturing," a Hanwha Ocean official said.
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