Hanwha Ocean Partners with Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College in Canada with an Eye on Next-Generation Submarine Project

Signing of Strategic MOUs for Rebuilding Shipbuilding Capabilities and Technology Transfer
Establishment of a Workforce Development Hub within the Shipyard

Hanwha Ocean announced on February 19 that it has established a cooperative framework with Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College in Canada and plans to work together to strengthen the competitiveness of Canada’s shipbuilding industry and foster shipbuilding talent. This move is a strategic step with an eye on winning the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP).

On February 18 (local time), Hanwha Ocean signed a memorandum of understanding with Ontario Shipyards in Toronto, Canada, for strategic cooperation. Hanwha Ocean also signed a three-party Letter of Intent for strategic cooperation with Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College.

Paul Armstrong, president of Mohawk College (front row left), Kim Heecheol, CEO of Hanwha Ocean (front row center), and Sean Padulo, CEO of Ontario Shipyard (front row right) are posing for a commemorative photo with Members of the Canadian Parliament and other officials after signing a letter of intent (LOI) for strategic cooperation. Hanwha Ocean

Under the memorandum of understanding with Ontario Shipyards, Hanwha Ocean will provide Ontario Shipyards with advanced shipbuilding technologies and operational know-how, including design and engineering consulting, production planning and process management, quality management system establishment, and smart shipyard-based advanced processes. Through this, the company plans to gradually rebuild Ontario’s large-vessel construction capabilities and support the long-term strengthening of Canada’s naval industrial base.

Canadian Members of Parliament, including Aslam Rana, Chris Bittle, John-Paul Danko, and Sima Acan, attended the event to celebrate the close cooperation between Canada and Korea in the shipbuilding and naval industries.

Through strategic cooperation with Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College, Hanwha Ocean will establish a “Shipbuilding Workforce Development Hub” within Ontario Shipyards. In connection with the shipyard’s expansion and modernization plans over the next 10 to 15 years, the partners plan to train key skilled workers in shipbuilding-related fields such as welding, fabrication, marine machinery, electrical engineering, robotics, and non-destructive testing.

The three institutions plan to proceed in stages by building an integrated training campus within Ontario Shipyards, developing industry-led advanced training programs, establishing a workforce development system linked to the shipyard’s production and expansion plans, and jointly identifying applied research projects that utilize new technologies such as virtual reality, robotics, and digital twins.

Shaun Padulo, CEO of Ontario Shipyards, said, “Ontario Shipyards is playing a leading role in rebuilding large-scale shipbuilding capabilities in Ontario. Through our partnership with Hanwha Ocean, we will introduce world-class shipbuilding expertise and proven production systems, accelerating the rebuilding of shipbuilding capabilities, the creation of high-quality jobs, and the strengthening of the maritime and defense industrial base in Ontario and across Canada.”

Kim Heechul, CEO of Hanwha Ocean, said, “The two commitments we made today represent the future of Hanwha Ocean and Ontario Shipyards, and they will deepen the friendship between Canada and the Republic of Korea.” He added, “This goes beyond simple technology transfer; it is meaningful in that it embeds Hanwha Ocean’s advanced shipbuilding processes and operational know-how in the Canadian market. We will firmly establish the foundation for the successful execution of Canadian naval programs, including the CPSP.”