The U.S. and South Korea launched a joint shipbuilding cooperation center on July 23 to accelerate the MASGA initiative, a major effort aimed at rebuilding America’s maritime industrial base through technology sharing, workforce development and investment.
The Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) opened as the operational hub for the initiative, following a memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries on May 8. The center will coordinate projects involving shipyard productivity improvements, workforce training, research and development, technology exchanges and direct investment between companies from both nations.
Funded by the South Korean government, KUSPC will operate as a U.S.-based nonprofit organization located at the Washington office of the Korea International Trade Association. The program will run from 2026 through 2028, with funding of about $14.7 million.
The center’s launch comes after Washington and Seoul agreed to allocate $150 billion of a broader $350 billion South Korean investment package in the U.S. toward shipbuilding cooperation.
South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jeong-kwan and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick attended the opening ceremony, along with government officials, lawmakers and executives from major shipbuilders. More than 130 representatives from both countries participated in the event.
Executives from South Korea’s largest shipbuilders, including HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean and HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, also attended as the companies seek to expand their role in the U.S. shipbuilding market.
“KUSPC is an unprecedented cooperation platform in the global shipbuilding industry and represents South Korea’s commitment to helping rebuild America’s shipbuilding capabilities,” Kim said. “The center will serve as a base for expanding Korea’s advanced shipbuilding technologies throughout the U.S. maritime industry.”
Kim said the $150 billion shipbuilding investment initiative would move forward quickly and called for continued support from U.S. authorities to ensure successful implementation.
Lee Jong-geon, the center’s first director, said KUSPC would serve as a bridge connecting governments, shipyards, universities, research institutions and investors.
“We will support the training of specialized shipbuilding workers in the U.S. and advance joint technology development between the two countries,” Lee said.
The opening ceremony also featured the signing of 15 cooperation agreements designed to advance the MASGA initiative.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries, along with KUSPC, the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association and the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering, agreed to establish a “Team Korea” partnership focused on strengthening cooperation between the two shipbuilding industries.
Additional agreements covered supply chain cooperation, workforce development and joint research projects.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and Siemens Industry Software agreed to develop next-generation digital solutions for ship design and manufacturing. HD Hyundai Samho signed a deal with Washington United Terminals, operator of the Port of Tacoma, to supply four advanced port cranes.
South Korea’s Industry Ministry said it will invest about $880 million over five years in joint shipbuilding research projects with the United States.
The program will involve seven South Korean organizations and nine U.S. companies and institutions, combining Korea’s ship production expertise with American artificial intelligence and robotics technologies. The partners will pursue eight projects, including ship design optimization and advanced manufacturing systems.
Corporate-level cooperation is also expanding. Samsung Heavy Industries will collaborate with U.S. defense technology company Saronic Technologies on unmanned surface vessel development, while Hanwha Ocean will work with Gibbs & Cox, a U.S. naval ship design firm, on the design of global fast transport ships.
The launch of KUSPC reflects growing strategic cooperation between Washington and Seoul as both countries seek to strengthen shipbuilding capacity, secure maritime supply chains and expand advanced manufacturing capabilities.
