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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Seoul, South Korea — July 8, 2025 — Hanwha Ocean (KRX: 042660) has secured a third Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) contract from the United States Navy, this time for the replenishment ship USS Charles Drew, a key asset of the U.S. 7th Fleet.
According to industry sources, Hanwha Ocean was awarded the scheduled maintenance project for the 41,000-ton-class Charles Drew earlier this month. The vessel, which supplies cargo and munitions as a non-combat replenishment ship, measures approximately 210 meters in length and 32 meters in beam. It is scheduled to arrive at Hanwha’s Geoje shipyard in mid-July and will be redelivered in the fourth quarter of this year following maintenance.
This marks Hanwha Ocean’s third MRO contract with the U.S. Navy. The company first broke ground in this domain in August 2023, becoming the first Korean shipyard to win an MRO contract for a U.S. Navy vessel, with work on the USNS Wally Schirra. This was followed by a contract in November 2023 to service the fleet oiler USNS Yukon.
Notably, during the maintenance of the Wally Schirra, Hanwha identified additional technical issues requiring repairs and secured a revised agreement with the U.S. Navy, resulting in additional revenue.
Hanwha Ocean has set a goal of securing four to five MRO contracts in 2025. The Wally Schirra has been successfully redelivered, while the Yukon has completed maintenance and is currently awaiting final delivery scheduling.
The company’s growing involvement in U.S. Navy support operations underscores its rising status as a trusted global player in naval logistics and ship repair services.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
