Hanwha Ocean has been selected as the primary party responsible for the detailed engineering and leading the construction of the Korea Destroyer Next Generation (KDDX) project, which involves an investment of 7.8 trillion South Korean won.
Hanwha Ocean stated on the 2nd, "After DAPA evaluated the bidders, we have been chosen as the preferred partner for the KDDX detailed design and main vessel construction project." The firm intends to discuss details like the contract value and timeline prior to concluding the deal.
The KDDX initiative focuses on building six 7,000-ton class destroyers equipped with Aegis systems within the country. Typically, shipbuilding projects unfold through several stages: conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design, and initial vessel construction, succeeded by production of additional ships. Hanwha Ocean managed the conceptual design, whereas HD Hyundai Heavy Industries took charge of the preliminary design. The two firms were involved in an extended conflict regarding the criteria and eligibility for the detailed design and first ship construction stage.
On June 11, DAPA informed both companies about their final assessment scores. While HD Hyundai Heavy Industries obtained 0.6425 points more in technical expertise, it faced a 1.2-point reduction in security due to an earlier breach involving classified military information, which changed its position in the rankings.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries expressed concerns about the assessment outcomes, yet DAPA dismissed the appeal on the first day, commenting, "Reconsideration requests are not acceptable." Hanwha Ocean mentioned, "Considering the project has been delayed for more than two years, we will strive to guarantee the prompt implementation of KDDX using our cutting-edge technology."