HJSC's Yeongdo Shipyard recently hosted foreign government officials keen on exploring air-cushioned vehicles (ACVs), signaling a potential expansion for the South Korean shipbuilder into global markets.
This visit was part of comprehensive market research for their ACV project, undertaken in collaboration with Korean government representatives.
The Yeongdo Shipyard, operated by HJSC, holds a unique position as the nation's exclusive builder of air-cushioned landing ship fast (LSF), boasting unparalleled technological expertise in this specialized field. The company embarked on ACV development in 1977 and achieved a significant milestone by successfully creating ACVs with its proprietary technology, marking the first such accomplishment in Asia. Notably, HJSC has delivered LSFs and their upgraded version, 'LSF-II,' to the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy).
Demonstrating its continued prowess, HJSC secured contracts amounting to KRW 650 billion at the end of the previous year for the ROK Navy Dokdo Improvement Project, four patrol boats, combined joint logistics over the shore (CJLOTS), and a 3,000-ton-class Navy patrol boat. These contracts underscore HJSC's excellence in warship design and construction, performance enhancements, and logistics support facilities.
With a track record of successfully constructing 28 fast patrol vessels valued at KRW 1.5 trillion for the ROK Navy, HJSC is poised for potential future contracts in the LSF project. The recent visit by foreign officials raises the prospect of HJSC's entry into global markets, echoing its historic export of fast patrol boats to Indonesia in 1979.
"We are the nation’s only builder with the technology to build ROK NAVY Solgae-class LSF. In fact, we own unparalleled technology in air-cushion vehicles," said an official from HJSC. "Based on our advanced technologies and extensive knowhow, we are going to promote sales aggressively to win more contracts at home and abroad."
Established in 1974 as the nation's first national defense contractor for warships, HJSC has, over the past half-century, developed a diverse range of special-purpose vessels, including fast patrol ships, corvettes, frigates, state-of-the-art warships, landing ships, logistics support vessels (LSVs), and LSFs, solidifying its unrivaled excellence in the global shipbuilding industry.
