HD Hyundai aims to transplant “Korean shipbuilding DNA” into India

Photo: Cochin Shipyard

South Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai is joining forces with Cochin Shipyard, India’s largest state-owned shipyard, to strengthen its influence in the Indian and global markets.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the intermediate holding company overseeing HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding operations, announced on Sunday, that it has signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) to establish long-term cooperation in the shipbuilding sector.

CSL, in which the Indian government holds a 67.91% stake has its main yard located in Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala. The company has extensive capabilities in the design, construction, and repair of a wide range of vessels, from commercial ships to aircraft carriers. Over the past five years, CSL has successfully delivered a total of 70 vessels, including 60 small commercial ships and 10 naval vessels.

Under the agreement, the two companies will pursue strategic cooperation across a range of areas, including design and procurement support for CSL, technical collaboration to enhance productivity and ensure global-quality standards, and the advancement of workforce capabilities through improved training systems. In particular, both parties have agreed to jointly explore new shipbuilding orders in the Indian and international markets.

The partnership aligns with India’s maritime development roadmaps, including the Maritime India Vision 2030 and the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, both announced by the Indian Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways to foster growth in the maritime industry. In support of these visions, India established a Maritime Development Fund worth approximately INR 250 billion (nearly USD 30 billion) this year and is expanding policy support to strengthen its domestic shipbuilding sector and maritime infrastructure.

India’s shipbuilding industry has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. According to market research firm Ken Research, the country’s shipbuilding and repair market, valued at approximately USD 90 million in 2022, has surged to over USD 1.12 billion by 2024, a more than twelvefold increase. The market is expected to continue expanding at an average annual growth rate exceeding 60% until 2033.

Through this partnership, HD Hyundai aims to strengthen its presence in the Indian market, the world’s most populous country, while further enhancing its global competitiveness in the shipbuilding industry.

“This collaboration will serve as a springboard for both HD Hyundai and CSL to reach new heights, while also marking a turning point in accelerating India’s national maritime vision,” said an HD Hyundai official. “By leveraging HD Hyundai’s accumulated technological expertise and experience, we will support CSL in enhancing its global competitiveness, while also seeking opportunities for shared growth with Korean equipment suppliers.”

Meanwhile, HD Hyundai is actively expanding its global collaboration network beyond India. In April, the company signed an MOU with Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest defense shipbuilder in the United States, followed by a strategic partnership agreement with Edison Chouest Offshore in June. In addition, HD Hyundai has been accelerating efforts to create synergies in the global shipbuilding sector by expanding defense cooperation, such as joint submarine development, with Peru’s state-run SIMA shipyard in November of last year.