SEOUL, April 22 (Yonhap) — HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea’s leading shipbuilder, said Wednesday it has secured a US$350 million contract to build an icebreaker for the Swedish Maritime Administration.
The vessel, scheduled for delivery in 2029, will support icebreaking, fleet operations and ice management in the Baltic Sea, the company said in a press release.
HD Hyundai Heavy beat rivals from Finland and Norway in the bidding process. The deal marks the first export of a dedicated icebreaker by a South Korean shipbuilder.
The company also cited growing global demand for icebreakers. The United States last year approved legislation to expand related funding to $9 billion.
In addition, the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) — a trilateral initiative among the United States, Canada and Finland — aims to strengthen Arctic capabilities through joint construction and technology sharing.
“We aim to expand into naval and special-purpose vessel markets, where icebreaking capabilities are increasingly required,” a company spokesperson said.
This image provided by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. shows an icebreaker the company will build for the Swedish Maritime Administration. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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