South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has signed a preliminary agreement with Peru’s state-run Shipyard Marine Industrial Services (SIMA) to jointly design and build submarines for the Peruvian Navy. The accord, inked this week, lays the groundwork for a final contract expected by the end of the year, marking another milestone in Peru’s naval modernization agenda.
The submarines will be constructed at HD Hyundai’s Ulsan shipyard, located about 360 kilometers southeast of Seoul, leveraging the company’s advanced submarine design and production expertise. The initiative follows a previous agreement signed earlier in 2025, where both firms committed to co-develop a 1,500-ton class submarine based on HD Hyundai’s HDS-1500 design, aimed at replacing Peru’s aging fleet.
Peru currently operates six German-built Type 209 diesel-electric submarines—two Type 209/1100 and four Type 209/1200 variants—that have been in service for over four decades. The new partnership seeks to modernize the country’s undersea warfare capabilities, introducing medium-sized, next-generation submarines with improved endurance, automation, and stealth features.
Beyond submarine development, the HD Hyundai–SIMA collaboration also supports the broader modernization of the Peruvian Navy, including projects for frigates, offshore patrol vessels, and landing support ships. The agreement highlights South Korea’s growing influence in Latin America’s naval industry and underscores Peru’s strategic push for maritime defense self-reliance.
