Hanwha Ocean Co., a major South Korean defense and shipbuilding company, said Tuesday it has begun maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for a 40,000-ton logistics support vessel of the U.S. Navy, accroding to Yonhap.
The Wally Schirra arrived at Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Geoje on the southern coast of South Korea on Monday for regular maintenance, according to the Korean shipbuilder.
The U.S. Navy ship is a replenishment vessel, 210 meters long and 32.2 meters wide, tasked with delivering supplies to ships at sea, including ammunition, food, repair parts and fuel.
Hanwha Ocean plans to complete the necessary repairs over the next three months before delivering the vessel back to the U.S. Navy.
This project follows Hanwha Ocean’s recent contract with the U.S. Navy, secured last month. It was the first time a South Korean shipyard has won a regular overhaul contract for a U.S. Navy vessel.
It is understood that Hanwha Ocean announced on August 29 that it was awarded the U.S. Navy’s 40,000-ton logistic supply vessel MRO service contract, marking the first time that a South Korean shipbuilding company has won the U.S. Navy ship’s regular overhaul contract.
In July this year, Hanwha Ocean was awarded the Major Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) certification by the U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command, which is a prerequisite for Hanwha Ocean to be awarded the MRO service contract for the U.S. Navy’s 40,000-ton logistic supply vessel.