South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean and Polish counterparts Nauta Shiprepair Yard and PGZ Stocznia Wojenna (PGZ SW) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the construction, maintenance and repair of naval vessels.
Hanwha Ocean said the MOU is the result of several working-level meetings it conducted in Poland since last March to discuss cooperation plans.
PGZ SW and Nauta Shiprepair Yard, both belonging to Poland's state-owned defence group PGZ, have agreed to jointly explore strategic cooperation opportunities to support Hanwha Ocean and various naval shipbuilding projects as well as the modernisation of South Korea's naval shipbuilding industry.
PGZ SW has agreed to seek cooperation in the joint development and export of surface ships, support ships, unmanned surface and underwater systems, and submarines optimised for overseas markets while Nauta Shiprepair Yard currently has a high share in the MRO market.
Through the agreement, Hanwha Ocean, PGZ SW and Nauta Shiprepair Yard plan to cooperate in areas such as joint development, construction, maintenance, technology transfer, and export of various naval vessels, including a new class of submarine proposed by Hanwha Ocean for the Polish Navy.