South Korean shipbuilding giant HD Hyundai Co. Ltd. is teaming up with American construction and engineering company Kiewit Corp. to develop a new shipyard in the United States.
Kiewit Maritime Co. on Thursday announced it is partnering with HD Hyundai USA LLC to establish HD Kiewit Shipbuilding LLC, a joint venture targeting work on naval auxiliary and commercial vessels, as well as ship block and module fabrication for other U.S. shipbuilders
The move, which follows a strategic partnership agreement signed by the two companies in July, would combine HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding technology and shipyard operating experience with Kiewit’s large-scale fabrication and construction capabilities. Kiewit Maritime is an affiliate of Kiewit Offshore Services Ltd., which builds large offshore and heavy industrial structures.
The partners plan to develop a purpose-built yard on an existing industrial site in Ingleside, Texas, with deepwater and unrestricted access to the Gulf. Construction is targeted to begin in 2027, with full-scale operations targeted for 2029. At full scale, the yard could support up to 3,000 jobs.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration pushes to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry. An April 2025 executive order, “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” established a Maritime Action Plan, a coordinated strategy to strengthen U.S. maritime industries.
South Korean companies have played a key role in that effort. Seoul committed $150 billion to shipbuilding cooperation with the U.S. in a bilateral strategic investment memorandum signed in November 2025. The initiative is known as MASGA, for “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.”
The two countries opened a shipbuilding partnership center in Washington, D.C., in July, along with 15 agreements involving South Korea’s three largest shipbuilders, U.S. shipyards, technology companies, and research institutions.
“Our proposed joint venture HD Kiewit Shipbuilding marks an important milestone in HD Hyundai’s journey to become a strategic partner to the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” said Hannae Choi, executive vice president and head of the Corporate Planning Division of HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, representing HD Hyundai. “Building on HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding technology and shipyard operating capabilities, we will contribute to strengthening the U.S. shipbuilding industry and expanding shipbuilding cooperation between the United States and South Korea.”
“Through our affiliate, Kiewit Offshore Services, and the broader Kiewit organization, we bring the people, facilities and experience needed to execute complex fabrication work,” said Chad Johnson, president of Kiewit Maritime Co. “Together with HD Hyundai’s world-class shipbuilding expertise, we see an opportunity to build a modern shipyard that expands U.S. shipbuilding capacity, develops a skilled workforce and strengthens the domestic supply chain.”
The planned shipyard would be the first U.S. application of HD Hyundai’s “Future of Shipyard” model and digital manufacturing technology. Plans call for digital twins, automated production systems, and robotic welding intended to improve productivity, quality, and safety.
