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Samsung Heavy signs naval repair MOU with Vigor Marine Group in U.S.

Published: 26 Aug. 2025, 16:50

Samsung Heavy Industries CEO Choi Sung-an, second from left, poses for a photo with Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan, left, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, right, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Vigor Marine Group in Washington on Aug. 25. [SAMSUNG HEAVY INDUSTRIES]

Samsung Heavy Industries, a major shipbuilder in Korea, said Tuesday it has signed a strategic partnership with Vigor Marine Group in the United States to cooperate on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of U.S. naval support ships.

The company said it will actively participate in the U.S. Navy's MRO business by leveraging its shipbuilding technology, operational expertise and optimized facilities under a memorandum of understanding signed in Washington on Monday during President Lee Jae Myung's visit.

Building on the MRO partnership, Samsung Heavy said it plans to expand cooperation into merchant ships and special-purpose vessels and pursue joint construction projects with U.S. shipyards.

It is also considering additional partnerships with U.S. shipyards, as well as joint construction projects with facilities in Southeast Asia and other regions.

Vigor Marine Group specializes in MRO for U.S. Navy and special mission vessels, with Navy-certified shipyards and processing plants in Oregon, Washington, California and Virginia.

The Korean firm said it also aims to expand cooperation into shipbuilding equipment clusters and training centers for skilled shipbuilders and sailors in the United States.

"We are deeply honored to collaborate with Vigor Marine Group, a leading MRO shipbuilder in the United States," Samsung Heavy CEO Choi Sung-an said. "We will strive to provide world-class MRO services and lay the groundwork for the construction of merchant ships and support vessels in the U.S. based on these achievements."

Yonhap