POSCO has set a new milestone in the Republic of Korea’s defense industry through the development of materials technology for naval vessels.

POSCO has developed, for the first time in Korea, high-ductility steel and armor steel for naval vessels and obtained classification certification from Korean Register (KR) in January this year. This certification is the result of completing the entire process from steel development and weldability verification to securing protection performance for warships. A classification society is an organization that technically evaluates and certifies the safety and quality of materials, design, and construction of ships and offshore structures.

The high-ductility steel developed by POSCO this time offers an elongation rate that is more than 35% higher than that of existing thick steel plates used in shipbuilding. Simulation results for warship collisions confirmed that impact absorption improved by about 58%. By maximizing the degree of deformation of a warship in the event of a collision with another vessel or floating body, this steel minimizes damage and plays a key role in enhancing the survivability of the warship.

In addition, to improve both the safety and the maneuverability and efficiency of warships, POSCO developed armor steel whose thickness is about 30% less than that of conventional thick steel plates used in shipbuilding. By applying this armor steel to the upper parts of warships—such as the wheelhouse, radar areas, and zones where advanced weapon systems are concentrated—POSCO secures protection performance against external threats while also reducing the weight of upper structures. This weight reduction improves resistance to hull motions and thereby significantly contributes to enhancing the ship’s righting ability (the force that returns a vessel to its original state when it tilts).

POSCO presented the development status of this technology at the ‘2025 International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX)’ and the ‘Warship Technology and Weapon System Seminar’ held in May last year, receiving a strong positive response from domestic and overseas defense industry officials.

For this project, POSCO conducted several years of joint research centered on its technical research laboratories, while all in-house departments—including production, quality, and marketing—collaborated under a “one team” system to complete the development of the new materials. This achievement is expected to form an important foundation for dramatically improving the performance of the Republic of Korea Navy’s next-generation warships and enhancing the competitiveness of domestic shipyards. Furthermore, as it can be applied to various overseas projects—such as naval vessels for South American and Southeast Asian countries, as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and construction projects for U.S. Navy vessels—it is projected to contribute to expanding K-defense exports and advancing into the global naval vessel market.

POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-hwa stated in his New Year’s address, “By completing a product portfolio that is essential to future industries, the group must further strengthen its market leadership and optimize its profit structure.” This latest development achievement is also aligned with the group’s strategic direction.

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