This file photo provided by Samsung Heavy Industries Co. shows the company’s shipyard in Geoje, 331 kilometers south of Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Heavy Industries Co., a major shipbuilder in South Korea, said Tuesday it has signed a strategic partnership with the United States’ Vigor Marine Group to cooperate on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of U.S. naval support ships.
The company said it will actively participate in the U.S. Navy’s MRO business by leveraging its shipbuilding technology, operational expertise and optimized facilities under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in Washington on Monday (U.S. time) during President Lee Jae Myung’s visit.
Building on the MRO partnership, Samsung Heavy said it plans to expand cooperation into merchant ships and special-purpose vessels and pursue joint construction projects with U.S. shipyards.
Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Choi Sung-an (2nd from L) poses for a photo with South Korea’s Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan (L) and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick (R) after signing a memorandum of understanding with Vigor Marine Group in Washington on Aug. 25, 2025, in this photo provided by Samsung Heavy Industries (Yonhap)
It is also considering additional partnerships with U.S. shipyards, as well as joint construction projects with facilities in Southeast Asia and other regions.
Vigor Marine Group specializes in MRO of U.S. Navy and special mission vessels, with Navy-certified shipyards and processing plants in Oregon, Washington, California and Virginia.
Samsung Heavy said it also aims to expand cooperation into shipbuilding equipment clusters and training centers for skilled shipbuilders and sailors in the U.S.
“We are deeply honored to collaborate with Vigor Marine Group, a leading MRO shipbuilder in the United States,” Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Choi Sung-an said. “We will strive to provide world-class MRO services and lay the groundwork for the construction of merchant ships and support vessels in the U.S. based on these achievements.”
(Yonhap)
