Hyundai Heavy Industries press release
The signing ceremony of the OPV contract was held at the Philippines Department of National Defense complex in Manila, in the presence of the Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines Delfin N. Lorenzana, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines General Andres Centino, Vice Commander of the Philippine Navy Caesar Bernard N. Valencia, President of Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (parent company of Hyundai Heavy Industries) Sam-Hyun Ka, Chief Operating Offer of Naval & Special Ship Business Unit of HHI, Sang-Hoon Nam, and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines Inchul Kim.
The Philippine Navy OPV has a displacement of 2,400 tons, a length of 94.4 meters, a width of 14.3 meters, a maximum speed of 22 knots, a cruising speed of 15 knots, a range of 5,500 nautical miles and will be built at HHI’s Ulsan shipyard until 2028. The vessel is to be equipped with a 76mm main gun, two 30mm secondary guns, a helideck capable of operating a helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The OPV was designed by incorporating the Philippine Navy’s OPV requirements to the proven BRP Jose Rizal class Frigate platform. Starting with this OPV order, HHI plans to actively seek opportunities into overseas OPV market.
HHI previously signed a contract with the Philippine Department of National Defense for construction of two Corvettes in 2021, as well as a contract for consturction of two BRP Jose Rizal Class Frigates in 2016, which it delivered to the Philippine Navy successfully.
Mr. Sang-Hoon Nam, Chief Operating Officer of Naval & Special Ship Business Unit of HHI remarked:
“I am glad that our strategy, in which we preemptively developed and exported various types of naval vessels by studying global market demand, has come to fruition.” He added, “we will continue to lead the naval ship market by focusing on technological development through intensive investment in R&D, along with business diversification.”
Meanwhile, HHI signed a contract on the same day for the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul of BRP Jose Rizal Class Frigates as part of its full-fledged expansion of its naval ship services business, securing an important foothold as a ‘Global Top Class Naval Ship Solution Partner.’
