Victoria, British Columbia – May 23, 2026 — The Republic of Korea Navy’s KSS-III attack submarine ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho arrived off the British Columbia coast today after completing a historic 14,000-kilometre trans-Pacific voyage, serving as a high-profile demonstration of South Korea’s capabilities in Canada’s multibillion-dollar submarine replacement program.
Built by Hanwha Ocean, the 3,000-ton diesel-electric submarine docked in Esquimalt Harbour on Saturday, May 23. The voyage, which began from Jinhae Naval Base on March 25 with stops in Guam and Hawaii, highlights the vessel’s long-endurance capabilities — a key requirement for Canada’s future fleet operations across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic waters.
The visit is explicitly positioned as a “flashy showcase” of Hanwha Ocean’s bid to build up to 12 new conventionally powered submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy under the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. Ottawa is currently evaluating two finalists: South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). A decision is expected within weeks, potentially by late June 2026, followed by contract negotiations.
While in the Victoria area, the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho will participate in joint anti-submarine exercises with the Royal Canadian Navy, further demonstrating interoperability and strengthening bilateral defence ties.
Economic Benefits and Industrial Partnerships
Hanwha Ocean has aggressively highlighted the economic advantages of its proposal. The company has signed memorandums of understanding with Canadian partners, including commitments to build submarine maintenance facilities in both Esquimalt, B.C., and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Additional agreements involve steel production in Ontario and projections of 15,000 to 22,500 jobs annually through 2044.
Rear Admiral David Patchell, Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific, welcomed the visit and expressed strong enthusiasm for the Royal Canadian Navy’s future. “I’m thankful to the South Koreans for making the trip to Canada,” he said, adding that Canada “need[s] them yesterday” when discussing the urgency for new submarines. Patchell emphasized that acquiring 12 modern boats would finally make Canada “a submarine nation.”
Both bidders have pledged to construct maintenance facilities in Esquimalt and Halifax to ensure Canada retains sovereign control over its submarine operations. The current Victoria-class fleet is aging, and the new vessels are intended to provide long-range patrol capabilities, including under-ice operations in the Arctic.
The arrival of the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho comes just months after Prime Minister Mark Carney and other senior officials toured Hanwha’s shipyard in South Korea in October 2025, underscoring the high-level interest in the procurement competition.
This port visit and the accompanying exercises mark a significant moment in Canada–South Korea defence cooperation as Ottawa prepares to make one of its most important naval procurement decisions in decades.
