Hanwha Ocean offers Poland financing deal for submarines
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026

Hanwha Ocean proposes a financing deal to sell submarines to Poland, competing with European bidders under the Orka programme.
WARSAW (Reuters) -Hanwha Ocean has added a comprehensive financing deal to its proposal to sell Poland submarines, the South Korean shipbuilder said on Friday, as it battles rival European bidders.
Poland is seeking to buy three submarines under its "Orka" programme as part of an expansion of its military to counter what it says is a growing threat from Russia following Moscow's 2022 invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Polish media have reported that offers from fellow-NATO and European Union members Germany, Italy and Sweden were frontrunners in the multibillion-dollar programme, with a decision expected later this year.
Hanwha Ocean is offering its KSS-III Batch-2 vessels, with the first delivery possible early next decade, and an older KSS-I submarine, currently used by the South Korean navy, as an interim solution or "gap-filler" for the Polish navy to start training on as soon as 2028.
"Our reinforced proposal is built on three core areas: providing robust financial support, helping enhance Poland's defence capabilities, and deepening industrial cooperation with Polish partners," Jaemin Kim, Orka programme manager at Hanwha Ocean, told a press briefing in Warsaw.
"We know that financing is a critical enabler of the Orka programme, and that is why we are already working with the new Korean government, which is also strongly committed to supporting defence exports, to prepare a financing package tailored for Poland," he added.
The commercial bank financing offer, the result of an international tender, is independent of EU funds, Hanwha Ocean said in a press release, adding that in parallel, long-term financial instruments supported by the South Korean government were also being considered.
"Hanwha Ocean can deliver the first (KSS-III) submarine within six years of contract signing, one of the shortest timelines in the industry today," Kim added.
"Our base proposal envisions delivering each follow-on submarine every 12 to 18 months. But, however, if the Polish Navy prefers, we can accelerate the delivery of the second and third submarines, potentially reducing the total programme timeline."
(Reporting by Karol BadohalEditing by Mark Potter)
Hanwha Ocean has proposed a comprehensive financing deal as part of its offer to sell submarines to Poland, aiming to support the country's military expansion.
Poland is seeking to buy three submarines under its 'Orka' programme to enhance its defense capabilities.
Hanwha Ocean is offering its KSS-III Batch-2 vessels for delivery early next decade, along with an older KSS-I submarine as an interim solution.
Hanwha Ocean can deliver the first KSS-III submarine within six years of contract signing, with subsequent submarines expected every 12 to 18 months.
Financing is considered a critical enabler of the Orka programme, and Hanwha Ocean is already collaborating with the Korean government to support defense exports.
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