Hanwha Ocean strengthens cooperation with Polish industry

Hanwha Ocean offers not only state-of-the-art submarines as part of the ORKA programme, but also an extensive plan to support the development of Polish industry and research and development centres. Representatives of the company recently met again with representatives of Polish companies to discuss the potential benefits for the national and local economy.

Hanwha Ocean has prioritised the involvement of local industry in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of submarines since the first proposals for cooperation under the ORKA programme were submitted to Poland. The Polish-Korean cooperation is to involve both the establishment of an MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) centre in Poland for future submarines and technology transfer (TOT), which is to translate into full autonomy for Polish entities in this area.

Hanwha Ocean stresses that it aims to build a lasting partnership with Polish companies and academic centres and does not stop at declarations.

At the end of October this year, representatives of the corporation once again met with local manufacturers as part of a continuation of talks undertaken during MSPO 2024 in Kielce: Enamor Sp. z o.o., a company specialising in the integration of modern technologies from the marine and defence industries, Hydromega Sp. z o.o., a manufacturer of power hydraulics systems, and Famor S.A., a supplier of comprehensive solutions in the field of lighting and electrical equipment.

The Korean delegation also visited the Ship Technology Centre in Gdansk and the PGZ Naval Shipyard and the WB GROUP Composites Centre, with which a cooperation agreement on composites production was signed during the MSPO 2024 fair in Kielce.

Four pillars of Polish-Korean cooperation

The October visit of Hanwha Ocean representatives to Poland was a continuation of the dialogue between the Korean manufacturer and the Polish industry, initiated during the Industry Day in May 2024. As part of the ORKA project, Hanwha Ocean envisages a comprehensive industrial partnership with Poland in four areas.

– In line with the needs of the Polish Ministry of Defence and the Polish Navy to have the capability to operate and repair new submarines in the country, we are developing a comprehensive knowledge transfer that will enable Polish industry and shipyards to carry out MRO activities on their own. This includes the transfer of key technologies, licences and other intellectual property rights necessary to produce equipment and spare parts for submarines locally. To this end, we will establish an MRO Support Centre in Poland, where our subject matter experts will support local industry. As a result, Polish companies will gain competence in the production of parts and equipment with the potential for wider application in the private sector as well, which is something we are very keen on,’ says Steve SK Jeong, vice president of Hanwha Ocean.

In addition to industrial cooperation, Hanwha Ocean also seeks to establish cooperation in conducting research and development of marine technology with Polish universities and research institutes, such as the Ship Technology Centre in Gdansk, Gdansk University of Technology and the Naval Academy. Hanwha Ocean’s R&D team of more than 300 scientists is ready to carry out joint work with Polish partners on the development of innovative technologies in green energy solutions, ship design and digital solutions.

In addition, Hanwha Ocean, with its experience in the defence sector as well as in the commercial and offshore areas, offers many other opportunities for cooperation with Polish shipyards. Partnerships in these areas represent further benefits for the Polish shipbuilding industry, the creation of new jobs, an increase in industrial defence potential, as well as the potential development of the renewable energy sector and other key industries.

A recent study conducted by Hanwha Ocean in collaboration with a South Korean university highlights the transformative economic impact of technology transfer for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of submarines in Poland. Preliminary estimates suggest that this collaboration could create more than 1,300 jobs and add more than $3 billion to Poland’s GDP over the projected 30-year life cycle of submarines.

Source: PortalMorski.pl