BUSAN — HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (097230) has completed its first maintenance, repair and overhaul project for a U.S. Navy vessel, becoming the first mid-sized South Korean shipbuilder to break into the U.S. Navy ship repair market.
The company said on the 15th that the USNS Amelia Earhart, a U.S. Navy logistics support ship that entered its Yeongdo shipyard in Busan in January, has completed all scheduled work and departed successfully. The project is seen as proof of the company's MRO capabilities and responsiveness, meeting the U.S. Navy's notoriously demanding standards.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction signed the repair contract for the 40,000-ton logistics support ship with the U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) and the Military Sealift Command (MSC) in December 2025. It then carried out a full range of MRO work, including detailed inspections of the hull and key systems, maintenance of equipment and facilities, and replacement of critical components.
The two sides initially agreed on a contract period of about three months. During the work, however, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction identified additional repair needs and defects outside the contract scope and proposed remedies in advance. The U.S. Navy accepted the findings and substantially broadened the scope of work, and the company completed all of the expanded processes within the set deadline.
With work added to bring the vessel to peak performance, the project was extended by about six months, from the original April completion date to October. That expansion also sharply increased the contract value, revenue and profitability. The company said the outcome reflects recognition not only of its technical capabilities but also of its ability to respond quickly and reliably to repair needs that arise on site.
The U.S. Navy is said to have expressed strong satisfaction with the project. HJ Shipbuilding & Construction said U.S. Navy officials conveyed deep appreciation for the completeness and quality of the repairs on the logistics support ship and gave a thumbs-up to its technical capabilities and contract performance.
By completing the project, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has solidified its position as a key partner in the U.S. Navy's push to strengthen repair capacity in the Indo-Pacific region.
"Building on this achievement, we will further strengthen our cooperation with the U.S. Navy and make every effort to win follow-up ship MRO contracts," said Yoo Sang-chul, chief executive of HJ Shipbuilding & Construction.
The Amelia Earhart is a 40,000-ton logistics support ship measuring 210 meters in length and 32 meters in width. It is a core logistics asset that supplies U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and combat ships with up to 6,000 tons of ammunition, food and cargo, along with 2,400 tons of fuel.