Jamieson Greer, the US Trade Representative, has been in South Korea this week where shipbuilding talks have taken place as well as pitches made to become an alternate supply of port cranes.
As well as meeting with government officials, Greer sat down with HD Hyundai vice chairman Chung Ki-sun with the pair discussing his shipyard’s ongoing collaboration with US defence shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries. Chung also said one of his company’s subsidiaries, HD Hyundai Samho, was in a position to deliver port cranes to the US.
Around 80% of the cranes used in American ports are made in China and use Chinese software with Donald Trump carrying over a policy set by his predecessor, Joe Biden, to get these replaced in the coming years. Finland’s Konecranes and Japan’s Mitsui have also pitched to help replace Chinese cranes in the US, a mammoth project expected to cost $20bn.
“We deeply appreciate the United States’ commitment to rebuilding its shipbuilding industry,” said Chung. “HD Hyundai stands fully prepared and willing to contribute wherever our capabilities are needed.”
As the US seeks to diminish China’s maritime dominance, it is turning to the likes of South Korea and Japan for shipbuilding expertise.
