HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced on July 22 that it attended the KOREA-ITER Fusion Day at the ITER construction site in Cadarache, southern France.
This marks a major step toward the realization of future fusion energy as assembly of the final vacuum vessel sector module for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) — an international nuclear fusion research project, in which HD Hyundai Heavy Industries participated — has been successfully completed.
Around 150 participants attended the event, including representatives from South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, domestic companies, research institutes, and the ITER Organization.
They shared the progress of ITER construction, highlight Korea’s major procurement achievements, and discussed strategies for international cooperation in the field of nuclear fusion.
The event was organized to celebrate the assembly of the final ITER vacuum vessel sector, manufactured by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, into a complete sector module combined with thermal shields and superconducting magnets.
The sector module has now been moved to the Tokamak pit, where it will join eight other sector modules to form a donut-shaped vacuum vessel weighing approximately 5,000 tons.
ITER is a major international initiative to construct the world’s largest fusion experiment reactor in Cadarache, France, jointly pursued by seven participating members: South Korea, the European Union (EU), the United States, Japan, China, Russia, and India.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries manufactured four out of the nine vacuum vessel sectors that comprise ITER.
After winning the contract for two sectors allocated to South Korea in 2010, the company secured an additional order in 2016 for two sectors originally assigned to the EU, successfully delivering all four sectors by 2024.
The vacuum vessel is a core component of ITER that encapsulates plasma exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius while maintaining an ultra-high vacuum environment.
Although each vacuum vessel sector is an ultra-large structure measuring 11.3 meters in height, 6.6 meters in width, and weighing approximately 400 tons, it demands an extraordinarily high level of manufacturing precision to ensure seamless assembly with the other sectors.
Furthermore, the manufacturing process must satisfy stringent quality and safety standards, including French regulations on nuclear pressure equipment, international nuclear engineering standards, and the rigorous requirements of the ITER Organization.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries successfully produced the vacuum vessel sectors by leveraging its accumulated expertise in shipbuilding and offshore plant construction, along with its capabilities in mega-structure manufacturing and quality management.
In recognition of its contributions, the company was awarded a plaque of appreciation during the event.
Speaking at the event as a representative of participating companies, Won Kwang-shik, Senior Executive Vice President of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, stated, “The successful fabrication and installation of the ITER vacuum vessel sectors represent a major milestone that demonstrates both the technological competitiveness of Korean industry and the fruitful results of international cooperation.”
“Building on our accumulated technological experience, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will continue to contribute to realizing sustainable energy for future generations.”
Princess Anne Tours HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan Shipyard
Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, sister to King Charles III, visited HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan Shipyard as the only corporate stop during her official visit to South Korea.
During her tour of the naval shipyard and engine manufacturing facilities, Princess Anne reviewed ongoing collaborations with UK partners.
Notably, this included Survitec Beaufort, a key supplier of crew survival equipment since 2013, whose solutions are currently installed on offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) under construction for the Philippine Navy.
During the reception, HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun highlighted the United Kingdom as a longstanding and valued partner that has supported HD Hyundai since its founding, reaffirming the company’s commitment to contributing to the UK’s maritime and shipbuilding industries through its world-class technology and shipbuilding capabilities.
This visit also reinforced a longstanding relationship between HD Hyundai and the British Royal Family, dating back to Founder Chung Ju-yung, the shipbuilder said.
HD HHI Accelerates Efforts to Explore Saudi Arabian Warship Construction Market
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has been accelerating strategies to enter the Saudi Arabian warship construction market.
HD HHI said on July 22 the shipbuilder struck an MOU on a fleet project cooperation for the Saudi Arabian navy at the “Makeen” engine plant in Ras Al-Khair near Jubail, eastern Saudi Arabia.
The signing ceremony took place with Executive Woo Kwon-sik of the Warship Business Division at HD HHI and Makeen CEO Fawaz AlThubaiti in attendance.
Makeen is an engine production joint-venture, jointly established by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) in the King Salman Shipbuilding Industrial Complex.
Uder the agreement, the two companies agreed to draw a plan to localize engines in connection with a Saudi naval frigate project and join forces for the preparations for the development of its supply chains.
Specifically, HD HHI agreed to strive for the development of a future Saudi frigate and engine and localization.
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