AsianFin -- South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s largest shipbuilder, said Wednesday it will merge with affiliate HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard as part of a strategy to expand in the U.S. shipbuilding market.

The move comes as Seoul and Washington deepen industrial cooperation, with shipbuilding highlighted during a recent leaders’ summit that South Korea framed under the slogan “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.”

HD Hyundai said the merger will allow it to streamline operations and better position itself to capture U.S. demand, particularly amid President Donald Trump’s emphasis on boosting domestic manufacturing and allied production.