A launching ceremony on March 28 is held in Ulsan for the Diego Silang, the second patrol frigate built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for the Philippine navy. (HD Hyundai Heavy Industries)

By Lee Jihae

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) is the world's first shipbuilder to export 5,000 vessels.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources on Nov. 19 said the affiliate of the domestic conglomerate HD Hyundai last month delivered the naval corvette Diego Silang to the Philippine navy.

The vessel was the 5,000th delivered by the shipbuilder as its second naval corvette for the Philippine navy after the Miguel Malvar in June last year. Measuring 118.4 m long and 14.9 m wide, the ship has a cruising speed of 15 knots (28 km per hour) and range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,330 km).

HD HHI in January 2022 concluded a contract with the Philippine navy for the Diego Silang, which was launched in March and delivered last month.

The shipbuilder is the world's first to export 5,000 vessels. Starting with the 260,000-ton supertanker Atlantic Baron in 1974, it has delivered units to about 700 shipowning companies in 68 countries.

Over that period, HD HHI sent 2,631 ships, HD Hyundai Mipo 1,570 and HD Hyundai Samho 799.

"Our shipbuilding industry is highly respected in the world for its accumulated technology and field experience," said Park Dong-il, the ministry's director general for industrial policy.

"Our ministry will soon release a plan on raising the competitiveness of the K-shipbuilding ecosystem to create new opportunities for the industry like MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again), while enabling small and medium shipbuilders and equipment suppliers to grow together."

jihlee08@korea.kr