NEWS

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has begun construction of a new frigate for the modernization of the Philippine Navy’s forces.

On Nov. 4, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries held a Steel Cutting Ceremony for the first vessel of the Philippine Navy’s new frigates at its headquarters in Ulsan. The event marked the full-scale start of construction for the first of two 3,200-ton-class frigates ordered by the Philippine Department of National Defense in December last year.

The vessel will be built to the same specifications as the Miguel Malvar-class frigates that HD Hyundai Heavy Industries previously delivered to the Philippine Navy. By additionally securing vessels of the same specifications, the Philippine Navy is expected to improve operational convenience in conjunction with its existing ships and maximize maintenance efficiency.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said it plans to mobilize the frigate-building know-how it has accumulated over the years, along with production capacity strengthened through last year’s merger. Through this, the company is focusing on moving up the actual delivery timeline ahead of the sequential delivery schedule specified in the contract for 2029.

Its cooperative relationship with the Philippine Navy is also becoming more solid. Beginning with an order for two Jose Rizal-class frigates in 2016, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has won a total of 12 naval vessel projects from the Philippines, including two Miguel Malvar-class frigates, six offshore patrol vessels, and the two new frigates in this latest deal.

A company official emphasized that HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will continue to support the modernization of the Philippine Navy’s forces while strengthening its unrivaled competitiveness in the global naval vessel market. If the two new frigates are delivered as planned, the Philippine Navy’s maritime defense capabilities are expected to be further strengthened.