HJ Shipbuilding & Construction completed maintenance, repair and overhaul work on the U.S. Navy logistics ship USNS Amelia Earhart at its Yeongdo shipyard in Busan, South Korea. The 40,000-tonne vessel departed the yard on October 15 after work that began under a contract signed with Naval Supply Systems Command and Military Sealift Command in December 2025. The project was initially set to finish in April but continued through October after inspections found additional defects and maintenance needs.
What it means
The Navy accepted HJ Shipbuilding’s proposed corrective work beyond the original contract scope. HJ Shipbuilding said the added work raised the contract’s value, revenue and profit, though it did not disclose a revised contract amount.
The company said it was the first mid-sized South Korean shipbuilder to win and complete a U.S. Navy maintenance, repair and overhaul contract. It plans to pursue additional Navy vessel-repair work but has not announced another contract or a timetable for obtaining one.
USNS Amelia Earhart supplies aircraft carriers and other combat vessels with ammunition, food, cargo and fuel. The ship is about 210 metres long and 32 metres wide, with capacity for up to 6,000 tonnes of ammunition, food and other cargo and 2,400 tonnes of fuel.
Key facts
- USNS Amelia Earhart left HJ Shipbuilding’s Yeongdo shipyard in Busan on October 15.
- HJ Shipbuilding signed the repair contract with NAVSUP and MSC in December 2025.
- The vessel arrived at the shipyard in January 2026.
- The work schedule expanded from an April completion target to October, an extension of about six months.
- The ship has a 40,000-tonne displacement, according to the source material.
- HJ Shipbuilding said additional work increased contract value, revenue and profit, without disclosing the revised amount.
Source: Marine Insight, reporting HJ Shipbuilding & Construction’s U.S. Navy repair project