Korean shipbuilding rivals unite for Poland's W8tr submarine bid

Korea Herald

18-06-2025

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean, maritime-to-defense competitors, are forming an alliance to win Poland's 8 trillion won ($5.8 billion) worth submarine bid, aiming to resolve their decades-long rivalry to boost global exports.
According to industry sources Wednesday, the two companies are seeking to land Poland's Orka Project by presenting themselves as a South Korean consortium, marking their first partnership in pursuing a large-scale export contract.
The project includes construction and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) of three 3,600 metric ton submarines for the Polish Navy. While project details remain undisclosed, industry insiders anticipate that Poland will select a preferred bidder by the second quarter and make a final decision by September.
Although HD Hyundai and Hanwha had already submitted separate proposals in November 2023 before allying this year, industry insiders suggest that the Polish government might view their unified effort, which combines the strengths of both companies, as enhancing technological competitiveness.
'HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha had proposed 2,300-ton and 3,000-ton vessels, respectively, to Poland. This dual approach can address the various needs of the Polish government, increasing the likelihood of Korea securing the contract on a national level,' said a source on condition of anonymity.
In February, HD Hyundai and Hanwha signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint team with the state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration for ship export projects. Under this agreement, HD Hyundai will lead surface ship export initiatives, while Hanwha will focus on submarine exports, with each company supporting the other.
In the following month, they submitted a proposal to secure a 20 billion won Canadian submarine project.
The rival shipyards' belated partnership comes after Korea's unsuccessful bid for Australia's new frigate project last year. HD Hyundai and Hanwha pursued the project separately, only to lose to unified teams from Japan and Germany. DAPA reportedly mediated the ongoing feud between the two companies over the 8 trillion won next-generation Korean destroyer (KDDX) bid, urging collaboration to increase their chances of landing global export bids.
Despite the Korean government's efforts, the shipbuilders maintain their competitive standoff on the Korean Navy's advanced warship development project.
HD Hyundai, the primary contractor selected by DAPA for the basic design of the KDDX in 2020, faced a setback when Hanwha filed a police complaint in March, alleging that HD Hyundai executives were involved in leaking Hanwha's confidential materials related to the KDDX bid. In November, Hanwha withdrew the complaint, citing 'mutual support and cooperation' for the country's shipbuilding industry.
However, the company did not retract its application for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's KDDX contractor designation process this year. While DAPA oversees the project, the industry ministry is in charge of officially designating the contractor. DAPA postponed the selection process multiple times, from April until after the presidential election.
'Although collaborating as a joint team for global exports is a reasonable strategy for both companies, with growing maritime security threats from North Korea, it is vital for the government to prioritize the rapid deployment of advanced warships like the KDDX,' the source said.
'The industry calls for swift and decisive action to achieve the fastest possible operations of those ships.'