US Navy Logistics Support Vessel Docks at Yeongdo Shipyard... HJ Heavy Industries Begins Full-Scale MRO Business

Amelia Earhart to Undergo Maintenance and Repairs Until March

The 40,000-ton logistics support vessel 'USNS Amelia Earhart,' operated by the US Navy's Military Sealift Command, entered Busan Port on January 12 and docked at the HJ Heavy Industries Yeongdo Shipyard in Busan for maintenance work.

This vessel, which HJ Heavy Industries secured an order for from the US Navy's Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) in December of last year, measures 210 meters in length and 32 meters in width. As a logistics support ship, it is capable of supplying up to 6,000 tons of ammunition, food, and dry cargo, as well as 2,400 tons of fuel, to main US Navy vessels, including combat ships.

To support the vessel's arrival and docking on this day, various government vessels within the port, including Busan Port pilot boats and tugboats, were deployed to safely guide the Amelia Earhart from the North Port breakwater to its berth.

The US Navy ship Amelia Earhart is docking at HJ Heavy Industries Yeongdo Shipyard.

Starting this month, HJ Heavy Industries will officially commence maintenance work on the vessel, including inspections and maintenance of various equipment and facilities. After completing these tasks, the vessel will be handed over to the US Navy in March.

As the first company in Korea's maritime defense industry, HJ Heavy Industries began preparing to enter the MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) market in 2024 and achieved its first MRO contract from the US Navy in December of last year.

The MRO market, which is emerging as a new source of revenue for the shipbuilding industry, was valued at 79 trillion won last year. Of this, the US Navy MRO market is estimated to be worth 20 trillion won annually. In Korea, after Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HJ Heavy Industries became the third company to win a contract from the US Navy.

Expectations are rising in the shipbuilding industry following the Trump administration's approval of the Maritime Security and Global Awareness (MARSGA) project and the Golden Fleet plan, which aims to counter the expansion of China's naval power.

With global geopolitical tensions escalating recently, the US Department of Defense is seeking to enhance the efficiency and speed of ship MRO by utilizing the capabilities of allied countries in the Indo-Pacific region, rather than relying solely on domestic maintenance, repair, and overhaul of its vessels. The introduction of the Regional Sustainment Framework (RSF) has provided a favorable environment for this shift.

Through the execution of this first logistics support vessel MRO project, HJ Heavy Industries has established a foothold for market entry and plans to sign a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the US Navy to expand its MRO business beyond logistics support vessels to include combat ships and frigates as well.