Hanwha Ocean wins $332 mn ship order from S.Korean Navy

South Korea's Hanwha Ocean Co. announced on Thursday that it was selected as the preferred bidder for the second auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOE)-II  fast combat support ship construction project, commissioned by the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

The project is valued at 460.1 billion won ($332 million), with the contract expected to be signed next month following technical and conditional negotiations.

The AOE-II logistics support ship is scheduled for delivery to the Navy by December 2028 after construction and sea trials.

This logistics support ship is a naval vessel designed to supply ammunition, cargo, and fuel to ships at sea.

It can service destroyers and frigates while maneuvering at high speeds during operations.

Hanwha Ocean plans to incorporate improvement requirements identified from the operation of the lead ship, delivered to the Navy in 2018, into the construction of this logistics support ship.

By increasing the loading capacity by more than 2.3 times (over 10,000 tons) compared to the Cheonji-class (AOE-I), and enhancing performance such as maneuvering speed, Hanwha Ocean expects to improve the operational sustainability of the Navy's mobile task force and expanding maritime sovereignty areas.

Write to Woo-Sub Kim at duter@hankyung.com