HJ Shipbuilding & Construction completes first US Navy MRO project, sends USNS Amelia Earhart out of Busan

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction announced Thursday that it had successfully completed its first maintenance, repair and overhaul project for the US Navy, sending the combat logistics force ship USNS Amelia Earhart out of Busan after finishing all repair work.

HJ signed a contract with the Naval Supply Systems Command and the Military Sealift Command in December last year to carry out MRO work on the 40,000-ton vessel. The ship arrived at the company's Yeongdo shipyard in Busan in January, after which HJ conducted a wide range of work — inspecting and servicing the hull and key systems, maintaining equipment and facilities, and replacing parts.

The company said the project "opened a new chapter for the shipbuilding industry" as the first mid-sized South Korean shipbuilder to win an MRO contract and successfully meet the US Navy's demanding requirements. It added that the project demonstrated its MRO competitiveness in line with the US government and Navy's policy of strengthening maintenance capacity in the Indo-Pacific region.

The originally agreed contract period was just over three months, but during the repair process HJ identified additional maintenance needs and multiple defects outside the original scope and proposed remedies. The US Navy accepted the proposals and expanded the scope of work accordingly.

As the project grew from routine upkeep to a full performance-optimization overhaul, the work period extended by six months — from the original April completion date to October — and the contract value rose significantly, boosting both sales and profit. The outcome showed that HJ possesses not only MRO technical expertise but also the operational capacity to respond swiftly and reliably to on-site repair requirements.

US Navy officials who observed the project gave HJ high marks for repair quality, technical capability and contract performance. A Navy official expressed satisfaction with the quality and completeness of the finished vessel and conveyed appreciation for HJ's work on the project.

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction CEO Yu Sang-cheol said the company "successfully completed its first MRO project by working closely with the US Navy through frequent schedule changes and an expanded scope of work." He added that the company would deepen its partnership with the US Navy and pursue follow-on contracts.

The USNS Amelia Earhart is a large combat logistics force ship measuring 210 meters in length and 32 meters in width, with a displacement of 40,000 tons. It serves as a key logistics asset, supplying US Navy aircraft carriers and warships with up to 6,000 tons of ammunition, food and cargo, as well as 2,400 tons of fuel.