Hanwha Ocean is accelerating efforts to expand cooperation with the Canadian government and local shipbuilding industry as it seeks to strengthen its position in the country’s defense sector.
Kim Hee-cheol, CEO of Hanwha Ocean, recently visited Halifax, Canada, where he held meetings with Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and other provincial officials to discuss defense and industrial collaboration. Key topics included enhancing defense capabilities, establishing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) systems, developing local workforce talent, and expanding industrial infrastructure in line with Canada’s defense modernization strategy.
In particular, Hanwha Ocean presented its long-term participation strategy and lifecycle support plans for Canada’s Submarine Program (CPSP), emphasizing its commitment to increasing contributions to the local industry.
Nova Scotia is considered a strategic location for naval shipbuilding and long-term MRO operations, supported by strong capabilities in advanced industries such as aerospace, offshore wind, and artificial intelligence. Leveraging this environment, Hanwha Ocean plans to collaborate with major Canadian companies including Modest Tree, GeoSpectrum Technologies, and Ultra Maritime to build an integrated global submarine supply chain.
During the visit, Kim also met Dirk Lesko, president of Irving Shipbuilding, to explore cooperation opportunities aimed at strengthening Canada’s submarine self-reliance capabilities. Both sides highlighted potential benefits such as job creation, workforce development, supply chain stability, and increased participation of small and medium-sized enterprises, while agreeing on the need to establish a Canada-centered long-term submarine MRO ecosystem.
Irving Shipbuilding, the largest shipbuilder in Canada, plays a central role in the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) and has extensive experience in naval ship construction, maintenance, and supply chain management.
Hanwha Ocean, which offers full lifecycle capabilities from design and construction to maintenance, expects that combining its technological expertise with Irving Shipbuilding’s local production and supply chain capabilities will contribute to building a stable operational framework for Canada’s submarine program.
Kim noted that key evaluation factors in the CPSP bidding process include rapid deployment, a reliable MRO system, strengthening local industrial capabilities, technology transfer, and job creation. He emphasized that Hanwha Ocean will continue to work closely with the Canadian government and industry partners to establish a sustainable submarine ecosystem and enhance competitiveness.
Separately, Hanwha Ocean has also signed a strategic agreement with Canadian construction firm PCL, further expanding partnerships with local companies as it prepares for the submarine program bid.
