Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, this October as part of Canada’s $44 billion submarine procurement program. The visit comes as the Hanwha Ocean–HD Hyundai Heavy Industries consortium, which has advanced to the final round, competes head-to-head with Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).
According to The Globe and Mail and other outlets, Carney announced at a press conference on August 26 that he plans to inspect Hanwha’s facilities in October. The trip follows his visit to TKMS’s shipyard in Kiel, Germany, earlier this week during his tour of Poland, Germany, and Latvia.
Canada has shortlisted two contenders for the program—Hanwha Ocean with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and TKMS. The winner is expected to be announced next year after final evaluations. Under the structure coordinated by South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Hanwha will lead the bid while Hyundai provides technical support.
Carney stressed that Canada’s requirements are demanding: “There is a clear difference between the two finalists. The submarines must meet extremely rigorous technical standards, as they will need to operate for weeks under Arctic ice as well as in the Pacific.” He added that Canada must maintain a year-round presence across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans, which quickly narrowed the field of bidders.
The winning partner will be responsible not only for construction but also for long-term operations and maintenance. Canada aims to receive its first submarine by 2035.
The project calls for up to 12 new diesel-electric submarines. Acquisition costs alone are estimated at around $15 billion, but including operations and sustainment, the total program value could reach $44 billion.
The Hanwha–Hyundai consortium is offering the 3,000-ton Jangbogo-III Batch-II submarine, which features Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) and advanced lithium-ion batteries, allowing submerged endurance of more than three weeks. The submarine has an operational range of approximately 7,000 nautical miles
