HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) held a launch ceremony for the Peru Warship Project on January 10 at SIMA, a state-run shipyard in Peru, according to the company's release. The ceremony marked the start of construction for four vessels: a frigate, an offshore patrol vessel, and an amphibious landing ship, which will serve as key strategic assets for the Peruvian Navy.
These vessels will be constructed locally at SIMA Shipyard, leveraging HD HHI’s advanced design expertise and shipbuilding know-how. The first delivery is scheduled for 2026, with subsequent vessels following. The Peru Warship Project stems from a defense export contract worth approximately KRW 640.6 billion, awarded to HD HHI in April 2024.
The project, achieved through collaboration between the Korean government and private enterprises under the "Team Korea" initiative, is seen as a model case for K-Defense's global expansion. "This marks a very important milestone in the history of Peru's shipbuilding industry," said Peru‘s President Dina Boluarte.
In a move to deepen bilateral defense collaboration, HD HHI, in partnership with the University of Ulsan, will host 12 Peruvian SIMA shipyard engineers for a two-week Naval Architecture Training Program starting January 13. The company also plans to enhance local shipbuilding capabilities by expanding cooperation with Peruvian equipment suppliers. Looking ahead, HD HHI aims to establish a global network of defense hubs through its Pan-Pacific Belt Vision. This strategy involves forming partnerships, building localized ship construction systems, and standardizing technology transfer packages across key regions, including Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.