▶ Selected by Peru state-run SIMA shipyard as a preferred bidder for partnership
▶ Ship to be built in Peru while HD HHI provides designs, tools and materials, technical support
▶ Winning competition against other defense power houses made possible thanks to private-public cooperation, so-called ‘Team Korea’
▶ “Will expand K-battleship market to Latin America with rich export experiences and competence in technologies”

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will be advancing into the Latin American naval industry as it wins orders for four Peruvian ships. This is the largest in volume for a Korean shipbuilder exporting to the Latin American defense industry.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced today that it has been selected as a preferred bidder by the Peru state-run Servicios Industriales de la Marina S.A. (Shipyard Marine Industrial Services, SIMA) shipyard to build a total of four naval ships worth US $462.9 million. The order includes one 3,400T grade frigate, one 2,200T grade deepwater guard vessel, and two 1,500T grade landing ships.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will be working together with SIMA shipyard and delivering the vessels to the Peruvian Navy by 2029. While HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will be in charge of the ship design, tools and materials, and technical support, SIMA shipyard will be responsible for the final building stages.

This order is especially meaningful as it is a result of the so-called ‘Team Korea’ effort. It is considered that the reason HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has been able to win the order against Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and other strong competitors is because of the teamwork from various Korean organizations including the Ministry of Defense, Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Korean Embassy in Peru, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

The Peru Navy plans to make further orders for five frigates, four deepwater guard vessels, and two landing ships. Once the actual contract is signed in April, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will be partnering with the Peruvian Navy on a strategic level to improve its force for the upcoming fifteen years. It is anticipated that this will result in further ship orders.

Considering that there are increasing needs for new battleships in Latin America, hopes are high that it will open up more business opportunities in neighboring counties.

“This will be an important milestone for us to pioneer the Latin American battleship industry. We plan to expand our K-defense presence in the region with our rich experience in exports and advanced technologies.“ said Wonho Joo, Senior Executive Vice President of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Naval & Special Ship Business Unit (NSSBU).

The frigate will be designed to be 127m in height, 14.9m in width, 26.5 knots max speed, and 6,000 nautical miles range. It will be equipped with an anti-ship missile and vertical launching system, along with an AESA radar to enhance anti-aircraft detection.

The deepwater guard vessel will be 95m in height, 14.3m in width, 20 knots max speed, 6,000 nautical miles range, and capable of operating a mid-sized maritime operations helicopter. It will also be applied with a mission module that will help modify equipment on board to fulfill various tasks. The grade landing ship will be 58m in height, 13.2m in width, 10 knots max speed, 1,500 nautical miles range, with the capacity to transport more than seven large armored vehicles or over twenty containers that are twenty feet tall.

Meanwhile, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has won a total of eighteen battle ship orders overseas. Starting with the 8,400T grade military support ship to New Zealand in 1987, the company has also won orders for six 2,200T grade deepwater guard vessel to the Philippines in 2022, developed for export.