ABS Signs Agreement with South Korea and U.S. for Shipbuilding Training

ABS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Korean shipbuilding and research organizations to boost workforce development, technical certification, and regulatory cooperation in the South Korean and United States maritime and shipbuilding sectors.

The Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (Kriso), the Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering Association (Koshipa), and the Korea-U.S. Collaboration Center in Shipbuilding (KUSPC) joined ABS in the agreement, which was signed during the inauguration of the latter body. A key objective of the initiative is to develop workforce capabilities for the U.S. maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) market.

"Advanced shipbuilding requires a highly skilled, certified, and prepared workforce to meet the demanding standards of modern naval and commercial vessel construction, modernization, and repair. This MoU creates the necessary framework to develop such capacity, and ABS is proud to support it thanks to its extensive experience in classification, certification, and regulatory standards," stated Ron Rábago, ABS Senior Vice President of Government Services.

Under the MoU, Kriso will contribute its expertise in advanced naval engineering, smart manufacturing, and shipbuilding research and development; Koshipa will support workforce development and production training through its extensive industrial network; and KUSPC will facilitate bilateral coordination among governments, industry, and research institutions.

ABS will provide guidance on classification, certification, verification, maritime safety, and international and U.S. naval technical standards, as well as regulatory frameworks. Jointly, the parties seek to develop jointly recognized qualification and certification programs, support the exchange of instructors and personnel, and strengthen industrial readiness to participate in U.S. shipbuilding.

ABS has a long history of supporting U.S. and international government maritime programs, providing expertise in classification, certification, and regulation for some of the most demanding requirements in the sector. As momentum builds for strengthening U.S. shipbuilding, ABS contributes to the development of standards and programs that will define the workforce of the future.