HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has jointly built a naval vessel overseas for the first time. It is assessed to have broken away from the traditional export model of domestically manufactured ships, pioneering a locally manufactured export market and presenting a sustainable export model for K-warships.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced on the 19th that it recently held a launching ceremony at SIMA Shipyard in Peru for the “Chimbote,” the first of a new class of landing support ships to be used by the Peruvian Navy. The ceremony was personally presided over by Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori. Key officials, including Joo Won-ho, President and CEO of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori, Peruvian Minister of Defense Rafael Belaunde, Commander General of the Peruvian Navy Federico Javier Bravo de Rueda Delgado, and Choi Jong-uk, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Peru, attended the event to celebrate the launch of the Chimbote.

The Chimbote is the first of two new landing support ships jointly built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and SIMA Shipyard. In April 2024, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries won a contract from the Peruvian Navy for a four-vessel construction project, including frigates, offshore patrol vessels, and landing support ships. Of these, construction of the two landing support ships commenced simultaneously. The second vessel, the “Talara,” is also said to have completed all onshore construction processes earlier this month.

The Chimbote, launched this time, is the first of two new landing support ships jointly built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and SIMA Shipyard. In April 2024, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries received an order from the Peruvian Navy for a total of four vessels – frigates, offshore patrol vessels, and landing support ships – and subsequently began simultaneous construction of the two landing support ships. The second vessel, the “Talara,” has likewise completed all onshore construction processes earlier this month. The name of the first vessel, Chimbote, refers to a port city in the central-western region of Peru. Talara, the name of the second vessel, is also the name of a port city in northwestern Peru.

An HD Hyundai Heavy Industries official explained that the Chimbote and Talara are multipurpose landing support ships that will carry out a variety of missions, including personnel and cargo transport, logistics support, and disaster and emergency response.

● New export model for K-warships… “Overseas tailored projects that overcome physical and geographical constraints”

This Peruvian naval vessel export project by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is seen as presenting a new export model for K-warships. The concept of warship exports has been transformed from domestic construction followed by delivery of a finished product into local joint production through technological cooperation. This is significant in that it advances the warship business from simple shipbuilding to an engineering-oriented undertaking.

Specifically, the project has been carried out in a way whereby HD Hyundai Heavy Industries provides design and technical support, while SIMA Shipyard, using its local production facilities, participates in block production and assembly, outfitting, testing, and sea trials. It can be regarded as a case that reflects the requirements of countries or governments that wish to have ordered vessels built locally, while overcoming physical and geographical constraints that affect warship construction and exports. The industry views this as pioneering a sustainable warship export model. In particular, there is analysis that such cases can underpin further growth in export performance in the future.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries emphasized that government-level support and public-private cooperation played a pivotal role in this project. It stated that the Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration promoted cooperation with the Peruvian government, providing indirect support for the company’s warship exports. KOTRA and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Peru also reportedly provided extensive assistance in communications and related work with the Peruvian government.

Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori, who presided over the launching ceremony, said, “We are not simply building a single ship; we are building capabilities for the future,” adding, “This project is also contributing to job creation, human resource development, and the expansion of the shipbuilding-related supply chain.”

Joo Won-ho, President and CEO of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said, “The launch of the Chimbote can be described as a Team Korea achievement made possible by unity between the public and private sectors,” and added, “We will continue to enhance the competitiveness of K-warships and diversify our export markets.”

Cooperation between HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and the Peruvian Navy is expected to continue. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is currently carrying out basic design work for a next-generation 1,500-ton-class submarine for the Peruvian Navy. It is said to be maintaining close cooperation with the Peruvian government to commence construction of the lead submarine after completing the design.

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