Cerberus Capital Management and HD Hyundai have formed a strategic partnership to launch Cerberus Maritime, an initiative to support U.S. shipbuilding and maritime infrastructure.
Cerberus Maritime will draw on HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding and digital maritime expertise to strengthen infrastructure, modernize ports and support U.S. shipyard development.
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Maritime Revitalization
Cerberus CEO Frank Bruno called the collaboration a first-of-its-kind effort, saying it combines capital with technical expertise to support major maritime projects. He pointed to White House and bipartisan support for maritime revitalization.
“We are extremely grateful for the strong support from South Korea and their bold commitment to MASGA,” he added, referring to the initiative, dubbed “Make America Shipbuilding Great Again,” to rebuild U.S. maritime capacity with Korean support.
Shipbuilding’s Role in Readiness
In testimony before Congress in May, U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan said, “Rebuilding our hollowed‑out maritime industrial base is a national security imperative.” He underscored shipbuilding’s role in readiness and pushed for reforms to remove inefficiencies and speed up production.
More recently, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle warned that the current U.S. submarine production, at roughly 1.3 vessels per year, falls well short of the 2.3 annual rate needed to fulfill commitments under the AUKUS agreement of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Amid the strategic shifts prompted by the AUKUS partnership, British multinational BAE Systems has invested more than $260 million over the past six years to enhance its submarine manufacturing and surface ship support capabilities for the U.S. Navy and its maritime allies.
Fortifying the US-Korea Alliance
The partnership coincides with broader diplomatic efforts. On Monday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung unveiled the $150 billion MAGSA initiative in a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.
The Korea Development Bank has pledged support by facilitating investments into the Cerberus Maritime strategy, which aligns with South Korea’s strategic goals.