The first U.S. vessel under the Navy’s increasing effort to use international shipyards as part of its maintenance efforts arrived in South Korea on Monday, September 2. It is the first vessel sent to South Korea and the first maintenance program to be undertaken by Hanwha Ocean which seeks to expand its role in naval shipping.
USNS Wally Schirra became the first ship to arrive at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje Plant. Built by NASSCO in San Diego, the vessel was commissioned in 2009 as a replenishment ship operating by the Military Sealift Command. She is 698 feet long with a displacement of 41,000 tons and capacity to transport 6,000 tons of cargo. The USN highlights she provides ammunition, food, repair parts, stores, and small quantities of fuel in support of global operations. She has a crew of 129 civilians.
Hanwha Ocean reported in July that it had been certified with a MSRA (Master Ship Repair Agreement) as part of the US program and giving it the right for five years to bid on maintenance and repair work contracts. Last week, the company said it had won its first assignment as part of the Navy’s plan to use shipyards in Allied countries for maintenance. The Navy is looking to these capabilities to address manpower shortages, lack of shipyard capacity, and cost and distance issues for its maintenance programs.
USNS vessel is expected to spend at least three months at the Korean shipyard (Hanwha Ocean)
“We have become the first domestic shipyard to conduct an MRO project for a US Navy ship,” said a Hanwha Ocean official during yesterday’s welcoming ceremony. “We will continue the reputation of K-Defense through timely delivery based on our world-class MRO technology.”
Hanwha Ocean reports the Wally Schirra will be at the yard for approximately three months. Hanwha Ocean’s competitor HD Hyundai was also recently certified in the USN’s MSRA program.
The shipyard looks to use this first assignment to further leverage opportunities as it expands its role in naval shipping. They note that the yard has also coordinated maintenance work in the past for vessels built for Indonesia and Thailand.
Hanwha’s parent company also recently agreed to purchase US-based Philly Shipyard. Establishing the presence in Philadelphia they hope to expand into additional work for the US Maritime Administration and the US Navy. Philly Shipyard is currently building the new training vessels for MARAD.
