HD Hyundai Teams With Kiewit to Boost U.S. Shipbuilding Under MASGA Push

HD Hyundai, the world's largest shipbuilder, has forged a strategic partnership with Kiewit Offshore Services (KOS) to help rebuild U.S. shipbuilding capacity, the two companies announced. The agreement was signed on July 16 at the KOS headquarters in Ingleside, Texas, building on a business relationship the firms say spans decades.

Under the deal, the partners will collaborate on shipbuilding programs serving the U.S. domestic market, including the fabrication of ship blocks and modules. The tie-up pairs HD Hyundai's expertise in ship design, procurement and advanced manufacturing with Kiewit's large-scale fabrication and complex project execution capabilities across North America.

The agreement was inked by Hannae Choi, Executive Vice President and Head of the Corporate Planning Office at HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, and Chad Johnson, President of Kiewit Offshore Services. Choi described the United States as "a strong ally and a key business partner," adding that the collaboration would also explore opportunities involving floating assets.

The partnership extends HD Hyundai's broader drive into the American market under the so-called MASGA — 'Make America Shipbuilding Great Again' — initiative, aimed at strengthening the country's naval and commercial shipbuilding capacity. HD Hyundai said the effort supports U.S. shipbuilding programs under the Korea–U.S. industrial cooperation framework, helping bolster supply chain resilience and domestic manufacturing.

Johnson said combining Kiewit's fabrication and engineering, procurement and construction experience with HD Hyundai's shipbuilding know-how would open new avenues to grow U.S. shipbuilding. Kiewit, an employee-owned firm with roots dating to 1884, reported 2025 revenue of $18.2 billion and employs roughly 34,500 people across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Guam.

HD Hyundai, formerly Hyundai Heavy Industries Group, brings more than five decades of experience delivering commercial, offshore and naval vessels. The Korean group has increasingly positioned itself as a partner for allied nations seeking to rebuild industrial shipbuilding bases, with the U.S. market emerging as a central pillar of that strategy.