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ABS and South Korea's HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) have launched a joint development project aimed at supporting the design of a U.S.-flagged 50,000 deadweight ton oil and chemical tanker, marking another step in growing U.S.-Korean shipbuilding cooperation as Washington seeks to revitalize domestic maritime capacity.
Under the agreement, ABS will review HD HHI's tanker design for compliance with ABS classification requirements and U.S. Coast Guard regulations. The project is intended to position the design for potential use in the U.S.-flag fleet amid increasing industry attention on shipbuilding and maritime industrial policy.
"From the first 100,000 DWT tanker to today's most advanced tanker designs, ABS has provided owners and operators with the insight and guidance they need to achieve their goals, always with a focus on safety," said Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. "This initiative with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries reflects our continuing commitment to supporting practical, forward-looking solutions for the next generation of U.S.-flagged vessels."
HD HHI said the effort is designed to leverage its experience building medium-range tankers while addressing the unique regulatory requirements associated with U.S.-flag operations.
"HD Hyundai Heavy Industries brings extensive experience and advanced technical capabilities in the design and construction of 50,000 DWT tankers," said Dongjin Lee, Executive Vice President of HD HHI. "In anticipation of growing demand for U.S.-flagged vessels driven by U.S. shipbuilding revitalization policies, we are working in close collaboration with ABS to proactively address specific USCG technical requirements."
The announcement comes as the United States increasingly looks to international partnerships to help rebuild its shipbuilding sector after decades of declining commercial vessel construction.
Over the past year, HD Hyundai has emerged as one of the more active foreign shipbuilding partners pursuing opportunities in the United States. In October 2025, HD HHI and U.S. shipbuilder HII signed a memorandum of agreement to explore distributed shipbuilding, joint investments, and collaboration on both commercial and naval vessel programs.
That agreement expanded earlier cooperation between the companies and included plans to pursue U.S. Navy auxiliary shipbuilding opportunities, collaborate on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation, and strengthen support for U.S. naval operations in the Indo-Pacific.
The tanker initiative announced by ABS and HD HHI reflects a similar trend in the commercial sector, where foreign shipbuilders are increasingly positioning themselves to support potential growth in U.S.-flag vessel construction while navigating U.S. regulatory requirements.
ABS, which serves as a recognized organization for the U.S. Coast Guard, is authorized to perform certain delegated statutory surveys, design reviews, and certification functions on behalf of the agency for eligible U.S.-flag vessels.
The project also aligns with broader efforts by the Trump administration to expand domestic shipbuilding capacity and strengthen America's maritime industrial base through partnerships with allied shipbuilding nations.
While no construction contract has been announced, the development of a U.S.-flag-compliant tanker design could provide owners with an additional option should demand for Jones Act or other U.S.-flag vessels increase in the coming years.
Fuente: GCAPTAIN_NEWS
