Ottawa, Canada – Babcock Canada (Babcock), a world leader in submarine support, is participating in a series of bilateral submarine in-service support symposiums with Hanwha Ocean.
Babcock is Canada’s recognized leader in submarine sustainment and the leading member of Team Victoria-Class. Since 2008, Babcock alongside its Team Victoria-Class industry partners, has been trusted by Canada to provide critical in-service support for the Royal Canadian Navy’s fleet of Victoria Class submarines.
Hanwha Ocean, formerly known as DSME, is a major provider of third-line maintenance, repair, and overhaul functions for the Republic of Korea’s conventional diesel-electric submarines, including multiple concurrent third-line dockings in the Geoje Shipyard’s Naval Ship Area. In addition, Hanwha Ocean is also a recognized leader in submarine design and construction.
The first in the series of international symposiums saw a team of Babcock submarine sustainment specialists, led by Keith Cunnane, VP of Marine and Mission Systems, visit Hanwha Ocean and other key elements of the Korean submarine sustainment industrial base, in early September 2023. The symposium enabled both leading marine organizations to share their respective expertise, experience, and best practices in submarine sustainment.
At Babcock, we are committed to delivering the best possible support to our customers. This commitment includes drawing upon international expertise and experience to improve the through-life support of critical assets that are vital to Canada’s sovereignty and national defence. The bilateral submarine sustainment symposiums we are conducting with Hanwha Ocean will promote the sharing of sustainment best practices between both organizations and further reinforce our commitment to supporting the Royal Canadian Navy’s current and future submarine programs.
Keith Cunnane, Babcock’s VP of Marine and Mission Systems
Hanwha Ocean, as the absolute leading company in South Korean submarine industry, will share with Babcock our experience, knowledge, infrastructure, and ecosystem in submarine industry not only MRO but also new building. This is Hanwha Ocean’s history how we built a miracle from a submarine backwater 30 years ago to a major actor in the global submarine market. The Submarine In-Service Support Symposium will serve as a cornerstone for further strengthening the two companies’ cooperation in the future, as well as for enhancing our understanding of the Canadian ITB (Industrial and Technological Benefits) policy and continue cooperation in the international submarine market.
Sungkyun Jeong, Hanwha Ocean’s SEVP of Naval Ship International Business
The international submarine sustainment symposiums build upon the long-standing relationship between Babcock and Hanwha Ocean, which includes both organizations recently having signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement. Further engagements to share best practices for submarine sustainment are being planned in the fall.
