Hanwha Ocean, a major shipbuilder in South Korea, has struck landmark agreements to strengthen Canada’s sovereign defense industrial capacity, expand domestic shipbuilding workforce, and accelerate large-scale shipbuilding in Ontario.
The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Ontario Shipyards to provide structured technical and operational support to Ontario Shipyards to strengthen production readiness and shipyard performance.
Ontario Shipyards is a Canadian ship repair and shipbuilding company on the Great Lakes, with shipyards in Hamilton, Port Weller and Thunder Bay.
In parallel, Hanwha Ocean, Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College have entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) to establish an embedded shipbuilding training hub at Ontario Shipyards’ Hamilton facility.
“Our objective is not simply to transfer expertise, but to embed Hanwha Ocean’s advanced shipbuilding processes and operational know-how directly into Ontario Shipyard operations. By doing so, we are strengthening Canada’s domestic industrial base, supporting high-quality Canadian jobs, and ensuring long-term workforce readiness,” said Hee-Chul Kim, president and chief executive of Hanwha Ocean.
The aim of the partnership is to accelerate the return of large-scale shipbuilding in Ontario and to strengthen Canada’s ability to deliver future naval programs.
As part of this cooperation, Hanwha Ocean will provide support to the design and construction for a training and recruitment vessel that Ontario Shipyards will begin building in 2026.
Subject to the award of the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), Hanwha Ocean intends to pursue further strategic investment in Ontario, including the establishment of a dedicated shipbuilding training center and expanded industrial cooperation with Ontario-based suppliers.
Letter of Intent Between Hanwha Ocean, Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College
Under the Letter of Intent (LOI) signed between the three parties, Mohawk College will lead academic programming across skilled trades and technology disciplines including welding, electrical, millwright, marine mechanics, robotics, logistics, and non-destructive evaluation.
Ontario Shipyards will provide facilities and direct workforce integration aligned with its production and expansion plans.
Hanwha Ocean will contribute technical advisory support and access to its global industrial networks to align training with international standards and operational best practices.
