A memorandum of understanding was signed in Hamilton on Wednesday, aiming to bring a South Korean shipbuilding company to share its knowledge and technology with our region.
This includes the upkeep of a new class of submarines that Canada is about to receive.
This announcement follows the prime minister’s recent defense spending plans revealed this week.
Ontario Shipyards and Hanwha Ocean have made agreements to work together on ship construction, maintenance, and educational initiatives.
Mohawk College has also signed a letter of intent with both companies, creating opportunities for students.
There are plans to establish a hub right here in Hamilton.
“They’re going to transfer knowledge to us so we can assist our country in building ships,” said Shaun Padulo, CEO of Ontario Shipyards.
After Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada’s defense industrial strategy, Ontario Shipyards and Hanwha Ocean have agreed to collaborate.
“I think it’s transformational for our country,” Padulo noted. “Having a company like Hanwha Ocean from Korea, one of the largest shipbuilders globally, willing to come here and help build local capacity – sovereign defense capability.”
“The welding, fabrication, design, fluid dynamics – all those engineering skills will be brought here and developed at Ontario Shipyards,” explained Glenn Copeland, CEO of Hanwha Canada.
Hanwha Ocean aims to secure a contract for building submarines for Canada.
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The plan is for the submarines to be constructed in Korea but maintained locally.
“Having an entire support structure throughout its service life will be crucial for Canadian industry,” Copeland stated. “This will provide a sovereign capability that Canada will manage over the lifespan of these platforms.”
Ontario Shipyards mentions that Port Weller, St. Catharines, and Hamilton are key areas that will benefit from this initiative alongside Mohawk College.
The college has committed by signing a letter of intent to create a dedicated learning hub focused on shipbuilding education.
“We can offer learning opportunities and knowledge sharing that would otherwise be hard for us to access without their expertise,” remarked Paul Armstrong, President of Mohawk College. “Engaging with students on this creates exceptional learning experiences.”
Premier Doug Ford commented on Wednesday saying, “it’s about time Ontario gets its fair share in the ship-building industry across Canada.”
“God bless the people in Nova Scotia; I admire Premier [Tim] Houston; he’s my champion,” Ford added. “And God bless folks in Québec; they’re getting most of the shipbuilding contracts. We have excellent builders here too; all we’re asking for is some crumbs – just a slice of the pie.”
Ontario Shipyards plans to discuss with Hanwha within the next week about constructing a training vessel in Hamilton intended for sailor training purposes.
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