HD Hyundai is set to accelerate the Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation “MASGA Project” through its US-based port crane business.

The MASGA (Make Alliance Shipbuilding Great Again) Project is a Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation initiative inspired by US President Donald Trump’s slogan “MAGA (Make America Great Again).” It is a key card proposed by the Korean government to the United States during tariff negotiations. Based on shipbuilding cooperation worth around USD 150 billion (approximately KRW 200 trillion), the core of the initiative is for Korean shipbuilders such as HD Hyundai, Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries to support the establishment of a shipbuilding ecosystem in the United States. However, the US recently decided under the “Super 301” measure to raise tariffs on Korean products from the existing 10% to 12.5%.

Some observers argue that, as the US has unilaterally decided to further increase tariffs, the Korean government and companies should also adjust the pace or scale of the MASGA Project, which essentially supports the US. A shipbuilding industry official stated, “Since domestic shipbuilders export very few items to the US, the impact of the tariff hike on the shipbuilding industry is limited,” adding, “The overall direction of the MASGA Project, which was put forward as a card in the tariff talks, is an issue to be coordinated at the government level, and the detailed projects under the MASGA framework are currently proceeding as planned without any particular changes.” HD Hyundai announced on the 26th that it recently signed a contract with Washington United Terminals (WUT) to supply four port cranes.

The supply contract is reported to have been promoted as part of a terminal modernization project to replace aged cranes at WUT, the US affiliate of HMM, Korea’s largest shipping company, and to expand capacity for handling large container vessels.

WUT currently operates a total of eight quay cranes (cranes that load and unload containers from vessels berthed at the port) at the Port of Tacoma in Washington State, US. Among these, four units were supplied by HD Hyundai Samho in 1999. Under the new project, two of the aging quay cranes will be replaced with new equipment, and two yard cranes (cranes that load and unload containers onto and from vehicles in the terminal yard) will be newly added. Through this, WUT expects to enhance its port stevedoring competitiveness, expand capacity to accommodate large vessels, and improve the stability of port operations. HD Hyundai Samho plans to carry out the entire process for the two quay cranes and two yard cranes on a turnkey basis, from design and fabrication through transportation, installation and commissioning, and to deliver all equipment by 2028. In particular, high-quality steel products manufactured by POSCO will be used in the cranes. As a project that integrates the technological capabilities of Korea’s key industries, including shipbuilding, ports and steel, it is expected to contribute to strengthening the country’s core industrial competitiveness.

The latest order is assessed as a result underpinned by HD Hyundai Samho’s advanced design and manufacturing technologies, its strong understanding of US port operations, and high customer confidence. Since 1985, HD Hyundai Samho has supplied a total of 20 cranes to major US ports. At the same time, the US government and industry continue to emphasize the importance of stabilizing and securing port supply chains. As Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation under the MASGA Project is expected to expand further in this context, this order is likely to serve as an opportunity for HD Hyundai and HD Hyundai Samho to further solidify their business base in the United States. An HD Hyundai Samho official said, “The order for port cranes at the Port of Tacoma is a meaningful achievement that demonstrates external recognition of the technological capabilities and quality competitiveness accumulated through the execution of various domestic and overseas projects,” adding, “We will support the MASGA Project successfully by developing eco-friendly and high-efficiency port equipment going forward.”

Meanwhile, HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun met with Jamieson Greer, a representative of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in May last year to discuss Korea-US shipbuilding industry cooperation, during which he introduced HD Hyundai Samho’s crane manufacturing capabilities and proposed mutual cooperation measures. The industry expects that Chairman Chung’s active on-site leadership will have a positive impact on this order and additional future orders under the MASGA Project.

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