Vigor Marine Group (VMG), Portland, Ore., has announced a strategic partnership with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), Seongnam-si, South Korea. The collaboration will bring expanded forward-deployed maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capacity to the Indo-Pacific region, offering the U.S. Navy and Military Sealift Command (MSC) a new option to keep vessels mission-ready. In addition, the two companies may explore opportunities to support a U.S. shipbuilding renaissance, including a return to VMG’s shipbuilding roots in the Pacific Northwest.
The Navy has been actively seeking partners capable of executing forward repair to increase the availability of its fleet. Together, this partnership will combine VMG’s deep customer relationships, proven ability to deliver complex projects on time and on budget, and innovative, commercial mindset with SHI’s Korean shipyard facilities, skilled workforce, and advanced technology. The result is a new forward repair solution designed to add high-quality repair capacity and operational agility, with Vigor Marine Group as the lead U.S.-based prime contractor.
“At Vigor Marine Group, our primary focus is on providing solutions to our customers,” Francesco Valente, president & CEO of Vigor Marine Group, said in a statement announcing partnership. “We understand the Navy’s evolving needs and have built a track record of delivering results in support of our national defense. Partnering with Samsung allows us to extend that same capability to forward-deployed operations in the Indo-Pacific and potential shipbuilding opportunities here in the U.S. — helping the Navy increase its operational tempo while maintaining the highest quality standards.”
The partnership reflects both companies’ commitment to innovation. VMG continually develops new ways to perform maintenance and modernization work more efficiently and effectively, while SHI leads the global shipbuilding industry in automation, digital shipyard technology, and advanced engineering. Together, they will introduce new levels of innovation to forward repair operations, streamlining processes, reducing downtime, and enhancing overall fleet readiness. Looking ahead, investment and implementation of SHI’s advanced technology could support new shipbuilding opportunities here at home.
“We find it very meaningful to partner with Vigor Marine Group, a leading MRO service provider in the U.S.,” said Sung-an Choi, vice chairman and CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries. “We will do our utmost to establish a foundation for building commercial and auxiliary ships for the U.S. through the successful delivery of world-class MRO services.”
VMG’s unique ability to manage evolving scopes of work with a commercial mindset helps customers address emerging repair needs efficiently. The company’s leading project and customer management expertise, combing with SHI’s state-of-the-art facilities outside the U.S. provide opportunities to support key customers in real time, in their areas of need. This partnership both supports the readiness of our defense maritime fleet as well as a strong, U.S. industrial base by keeping work within U.S. companies and opening pathways for revitalization of U.S. shipyards for new construction.
