HD Hyundai has launched a strategic shipbuilding collaboration in the US centred on Tampa Ship, a major US shipyard operating within the Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) family of companies, to construct containerships in the US.
HD Hyundai recently held a signing ceremony with US-based Tampa Ship LLC, a company within the Edison Chouest Offshore family of affiliated companies (ECO), to establish a strategic and comprehensive collaboration that outlines a multi-faceted alliance to build medium-sized LNG dual-fuel containerships at Tampa Ship, with first deliveries targeted for 2028.
As part of the collaboration, HD Hyundai will provide critical support to Tampa Ship in vessel design, procurement of specialised equipment, and transfer of advanced shipbuilding technology. HD Hyundai will also participate in the fabrication of certain ship blocks and invest in key technical infrastructure to enhance the capability of Tampa Ship.
Tampa Ship, located in Tampa, Florida, has a long legacy in US shipbuilding and is one of five shipyards operated by ECO across the country. Through this initiative, Tampa Ship is positioned to lead the revitalisation of US commercial shipbuilding and to help address the shortage of domestically constructed vessels.
The signing ceremony was held on 19 June and was attended by Choi Hannae, Vice President, Head of Corporate Planning Division at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and Dino Chouest, Executive Vice President of ECO.
According to Clarksons Research, US yards received orders for only three 3600 TEU-class containerships between 2022 – 2024. This collaboration between HD Hyundai and Tampa Ship aims to address this gap and re-establish the US as a competitive force in the global shipbuilding industry.
Through this collaboration, the parties also expressed intent to explore further opportunities beyond commercial containerships, including collaboration on other potential fleet classes, as well as heavy industrial port equipment, which are all integral to maritime security and domestic infrastructure resilience.
“The US is a strong ally and an important business partner for us,” stated an official from HD Hyundai. “Through our collaboration with ECO, we aim to actively support US efforts to revitalise its shipbuilding industry and strengthen national security.”
This initiative follows HD Hyundai’s ongoing efforts to deepen co-operation with US maritime and defense stakeholders. Earlier this year, the company entered into agreements with Huntington Ingalls Industries and Fairbanks Morse Defense, and continues to support academic partnerships, including with the University of Michigan and Seoul National University, to foster future talent in naval architecture and marine engineering.