SOUTH Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries has deepened its connection to US shipbuilding by signing a tripartite agreement for shipbuilding collaboration.

The yard, last month, signed an agreement with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering to form a strategic partnership. The duo are now partnering with US shiprepair contractor Nassco, a business unit of New York Stock Exchange listed General Dynamics.

The three companies will collaborate on ship design, manufacturing, automation and technology in the US.

The partnership will see the coalition develop commercial, naval, and other government shipbuilding projects, including the US Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship.

Nassco is building the US Navy’s 20-ship John Lewis-class of fleet oilers and is designing the US Navy’s future submarine tender class. It is no stranger to working with South Korean firms. Recent commercial programmes including con-ro ships, containerships and medium-range tankers were designed in collaboration with DSEC and other South Korean companies.

“Having worked closely with DSEC over the past two decades and now welcoming Samsung Heavy Industries, there is great opportunity in leveraging our expertise and years of learning to execute on the next generation of shipbuilding,” said Nassco president Dave Carver.

South Korea has committed $150bn to support the US in revitalising its shipbuilding industry under the Make American Shipyards Great Again initiative. This tripartite partnership builds on that, and on SHI’s initial partnership with DSEC which it initiated last month.

Other South Korean shipyards such as Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries have also made firm commitments to revitalising US shipbuilding. Hanwha Ocean invested $5bn into expanding the Hanwha Philly Shipyard.

HD Hyundai will serve as South Korea’s anchor investor under MASGA. It signed a multibillion-dollar deal with US private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.