TERRACE – Hanwha Energy USA Holdings and Skeena Data Centers of Terrace signed a Memorandum Of Understanding at Hanwha’s BC Innovation Day in Victoria May 25 to explore cooperation on digital infrastructure and energy development projects in British Columbia, including potential investment in data center facilities and related energy infrastructure.
Skeena Data Centers is developing a large-scale data center campus in Terrace, designed as a utility-style digital infrastructure platform.
Hanwha Ocean is a global shipbuilder with more than four decades of experience in complex naval and commercial shipbuilding programs. Supported by its large-scale, integrated shipyard in Geoje, South Korea that spans five-square kilometers and has more than 31,000 employees, the company combines industrial capacity to deliver modern, in-service naval platforms.
Since starting in 1973, Hanwha Ocean has delivered more than 1,400 vessels worldwide and has expertise in the design, construction and sustainment of submarines and surface combatants for the Republic of Korea Navy. The company builds approximately 45 commercial and naval ships each year.
At the meeting in Victoria, attended by over 250 people representing over 100 companies and organizations, Hanwha noted it now has agreements with more than 70 Canadian organizations. It also signed an MOU with Defense Metals to explore long-term rare earth supply cooperation, investment opportunities, and downstream collaboration related to critical minerals and supply chain development in Canada.
“Canada possesses exceptional strengths across shipbuilding, Arctic research, advanced manufacturing, energy, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals,” says Hee Cheul (Charles) Kim, President & CEO of Hanwha Ocean. “Through these partnerships, we are proud to deepen our collaboration with Canadian industry, academia, and research organizations while supporting innovation, workforce development, industrial growth, and stronger Canada–Korea cooperation.”
The agreements announced at BC Innovation Day span strategic investment cooperation, Arctic and maritime research, advanced manufacturing technologies, autonomous systems, workforce development, and next-generation energy and digital infrastructure initiatives.
The event took place two days after the arrival of the Korean Navy’s KSS-III submarine at CFB Esquimalt. Hanwha Ocean’s KSS-III is a proven, in-service, in-active production submarine that fully meets and exceeds all requirements for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.
The KSS-III is the world’s first diesel-electric submarine class to integrate both Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology and lithium-ion battery systems, enabling exceptional submerged endurance and operational flexibility. It has underwater surveillance capability and deploy ability in the Arctic with extended range and endurance.
Participating institutions included: Simon Fraser University with their arctic-capable vessel technologies, autonomous systems, sustainable energy technologies, and intelligent automation, the University of British Columbia on advanced materials, Arctic maritime engineering, and intelligent vessel technologies, and Ocean Networks Canada and the University of Victoria Arctic with their environmental information research and applications related to autonomous navigation technologies.
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