US Navy Looking to South Korean, Japanese Shipbuilders to Revive American Shipyards

Voice of America News reports: “The United States is looking to Korean and Japanese shipbuilders to help revive its dormant naval shipyards and boost maritime competitiveness in the face of China’s accelerated naval buildup.

U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro toured shipyards in South Korea operated by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan and Hanwha Ocean on Geoje Island last week.

He encouraged top executives of the companies to establish subsidiaries and ‘invest’ resources in integrating commercial and naval shipbuilding facilities in the U.S., said a statement by the Navy.

During a speech at Harvard University in September, Del Toro called for ‘new maritime statecraft’ to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition.

South Korean shipbuilding is ‘an asset’ to the U.S. ‘as China continues to aggressively pursue worldwide shipbuilding dominance,’ said the Navy statement issued during Del Toro’s East Asia visit.

‘In addition to our currently active shipyards,’ it added, ‘there are numerous former shipyard sites around the country which are largely intact and dormant.’

Del Toro said during the tour that these are ready to be redeveloped to produce military and commercial ships…”

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