Back left to right, Defence Minister David McGuinty, South Korea Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Hanwha Group vice-chariman Kim Dong Kwan tour a submarine at the Hanwha Ocean Shipyard in South Korea, last October.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Engineering firm AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. ATRL-T has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hanwha Ocean, the South Korean shipbuilder hoping to win the contract for the Canadian navy’s next fleet of submarines.
The companies say the agreement is a first step and creates a framework for long-term collaboration to explore opportunities supporting Canada’s submarine capability.
Steve SK Jeong, a senior executive vice-president at Hanwha Ocean, says AtkinsRéalis brings strong experience in complex systems and life cycle support, together with a strong understanding of the Canadian environment.
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Jeong says the agreement establishes a basis to explore how the companies can work together in submarine capability, industrial capability development in Canada, and long-term support.
The South Korean company and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS, are the finalists in a competition to build a fleet of up to 12 conventionally powered submarines for the Canadian navy.
Hanwha and South Korean officials have framed the submarine contract as a starting point for a deeper industrial relationship between Canada and Korea.