According to industry sources on Nov. 6, K Shipbuilding will commence construction work on two oil tankers to be delivered with U.S. nationality from Jinhae Shipyard early next year. The vessels are two 50,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage) medium range tankers scheduled for delivery in early 2027. This marks the first time that vessels built domestically will directly enter service flying the U.S. flag, the Stars and Stripes. It is also the first time in approximately 12 years since 2013 that Korean-built vessels will be registered as U.S.-flagged ships.

The work is proceeding as Greek shipping company Stealthgas transferred this construction contract through its U.S. subsidiary. K Shipbuilding plans to construct the vessels according to US specifications under the supervision of American Bureau of Shipping officials dispatched to Korea.

As President Donald Trump accelerates efforts to secure maritime hegemony through the expansion of U.S. commercial vessels, opportunities arising from strengthened Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation are extending beyond major shipbuilders to include domestic small and medium-sized shipyards. If the construction of U.S.-flagged vessels proceeds successfully through this case, orders from global shipping companies seeking to acquire U.S. vessel nationality to Korean shipbuilders are expected to become more active as America strengthens its America First policies.

Meanwhile, the shipbuilding industry is paying attention to whether U.S. commercial vessel construction standards may also be eased in the future. Recently in the United States, arguments that insisting on domestic construction methods cannot accelerate the pace of shipbuilding industry reconstruction are gaining strength, and movements are emerging to ease domestic construction principles limited to commercial vessels. If domestic vessel construction becomes possible, Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation is expected to expand further.

Source: BusinessKorea