Hanwha Ocean signs memoranda with two Polish shipyards

Hanwha Ocean, a leading South Korean shipbuilding company, signed memoranda on Thursday with PGZ Stocznia Wojenna and Stocznia Remontowa Nauta regarding the construction and maintenance of ships, according to the Yonhap news agency. The documents are intended to strengthen the company’s position in the ‘Orka’ programme.

The memoranda were signed during the International Maritime Defence Industry Exhibition (MADEX 2025) at BEXCO in Busan, about 325 km south of Seoul, Hanwha Ocean said in a press release.

The agreements with leading Polish shipyards are not only a technological partnership between the companies. They will also serve as a bridge for bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the shipbuilding sector, a representative of the company said.

According to the memorandum with PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, Hanwha will cooperate in the joint development of patrol vessels (OPVs), surface vessels, support vessels and unmanned underwater systems. Hanwha intends to strengthen its capabilities in the repair and renovation of submarines with the Nauta shipyard, it was explained.

Hanwha Ocean is one of the bidders for new-type submarines (OPNT) for the Polish Navy under the ‘Orka’ programme. The company is offering KSS-III vessels with a length of approx. 90 m and a displacement of 3,600 tonnes. Hanwha representatives highlighted the advantages of the AIP propulsion system and lithium-ion batteries, which allow the vessel to remain submerged for over 20 days.

Originally, the Ministry of National Defence planned to purchase three or four new submarines under the ‘Orka’ programme, with the value of the programme estimated at PLN 10 billion. According to earlier announcements, Poland intended to purchase new submarines armed with long-range cruise missiles.

Source: PortalMorski.pl