- Third Korean shipbuilder and the first mid-sized shipbuilder to sign a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the U.S. Navy
- A major milestone for Korea’s first maritime defense contractor, validating HJSC’s technical capabilities and operational readiness at both the U.S. Navy and global levels
- Signals full-scale entry into the U.S. Navy MRO market, valued at approximately KRW 20 trillion annually, laying the foundation for the next leap forward in K-defense industry competitiveness

- The U.S. Navy logistics support vessel ‘USNS Amelia Earhart’ arriving at HJSC’s Yeongdo Shipyard on January 12 for maintenance

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) has officially signed a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the U.S. Navy, marking a major step toward its full-scale entry into the U.S. naval maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) market.

Following its selection as an MSRA-qualified shipyard by the U.S. Navy last week, HJSC announced that it has finalized the agreement with the U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP). With this agreement in place, the multinational shipbuilder is now authorized to participate in bidding for MRO projects involving both auxiliary and combat vessels operated by the U.S. Navy over the next five years.

The MSRA is a formal agreement granted only to shipyards that have been officially verified by the U.S. Navy for their maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities. In practical terms, it serves as a prerequisite for participation in U.S. Navy MRO programs.

Without this qualification, shipyards are limited to maintenance work on non-combat vessels such as logistics support ships. Once certified under the MSRA, however, they become eligible to bid on MRO projects for major U.S. Navy assets, including combat ships and escort vessels. To qualify, shipyards must meet stringent requirements covering quality standards, technical expertise, production facilities, supply chain management, security systems, and safety controls, and successfully pass a series of rigorous evaluations.

HJSC began the MSRA application process in March last year and subsequently completed financial assessments, on-site inspections, and, most recently, the final Port Facility Security Assessment (PFSA) earlier this month. Based on these results, the South Korean shipbuilder received official notification from NAVSUP on January 16 confirming its selection as an MSRA partner, and successfully concluded the agreement on January 19.

Before securing the MSRA, HJSC had already demonstrated its capabilities by winning an MRO contract in December for a 40,000-ton U.S. Navy logistics support vessel. During on-site inspections and the PFSA, evaluation teams reportedly described the Yeongdo Shipyard as an optimal facility for conducting U.S. Navy MRO operations, further reinforcing expectations that HJSC would obtain MSRA certification.

The agreement is meaningful in that it represents formal recognition by the world’s most advanced navy of HJSC’s technical expertise, quality standards, reliability, and MRO execution capabilities. It is also anticipated to strengthen the company’s competitiveness in the global MRO market and support overseas marketing efforts for high-speed vessels and landing craft, areas in which HJSC has established strong expertise.

With the signing of the MSRA, the global shipbuilder plans to establish a solid foothold in the U.S. Navy MRO market, the world’s largest MRO market valued at approximately KRW 20 trillion per year. Building on its first logistics support vessel project, the company aims to secure follow-on contracts while reinforcing trust with the U.S. Navy through consistent quality and strict adherence to delivery schedules.

An official from HJSC stated, “By signing the MSRA with the U.S. Navy, our naval engineering capabilities have been officially recognized on the global stage. This agreement enables us to participate fully in MRO projects for major U.S. Navy vessels.” He added, “Going forward, we will take care of each MRO project with the utmost diligence and continue to strengthen our cooperative and trust-based relationship with the U.S. Navy, contributing to the advancement of the K-defense industry.”