HD Hyundai USA and Kiewit Maritime have unveiled plans to form a joint venture that would develop a new shipyard in Ingleside, Texas.
The proposed company, HD Kiewit Shipbuilding, would build vessel production facilities at an industrial site offering deepwater, unrestricted access to the Gulf of Mexico.
The partners are targeting the start of construction in 2027 and full-scale operations in 2029.
The companies said the venture will initially explore work on naval auxiliary craft and commercial vessels. It will also look at fabricating ship blocks and modules for other US shipbuilders.
The partners intend to extend their cooperation into maritime infrastructure.
The yard’s planned systems will include robotic welding, digital twins, and production automation. The companies said the project would be the first US application of a model that HD Hyundai has been developing at its own yards since 2021.
In July of this year, HD Hyundai and Kiewit Offshore Services entered into an agreement covering collaboration on US shipbuilding programmes, particularly ship blocks and modules.
Kiewit already operates a 555-acre (225-hectare) fabrication yard at Ingleside. The yard builds offshore and onshore modules for energy and infrastructure projects, including the South Fork Wind offshore substation.
In October 2025, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries agreed with Huntington Ingalls to jointly build US Navy auxiliary ships. The two companies also agreed to explore investment in new or existing US shipyards.