KORMARINE 2025 in Busan once again brought together shipbuilders, Genuine Part Makers / OEMs, and vessel operators from across the world. It served as a meeting place for industry professionals, innovators, and decision-makers to explore the latest developments shaping the maritime and energy sectors.
For Pelagus, the conversations at this year’s exhibition reaffirmed a clear reality: the challenges surrounding limited access to legacy parts, engineering expertise, and aftermarket support can only be addressed through stronger collaboration across the entire value chain.
Throughout the event, the Pelagus team met with long-established OEMs and component manufacturers who shared familiar challenges around maintaining reliable aftermarket support for equipment that has been in service for decades.
For many, obsolescence and knowledge retention have become pressing issues. Some described how critical components now depend on the experience of senior engineers approaching retirement, while others spoke about the increasing difficulty of supplying spare parts for systems that are no longer in production.
The message was consistent: the maritime sector is looking for practical and sustainable ways to preserve expertise and ensure continued support for legacy portfolios.
Another clear observation was that OEM’s aftermarket performance has increasing influence on shipowners, operators, and other industry stakeholders purchasing decisions
Ship operators are becoming more cautious about investing in equipment where long-term service and spare parts availability might be uncertain. Within a close-knit industry, reputation travels quickly and the strength of an OEM’s aftermarket support is now a decisive factor in earning trust, repeat business, and long-term relationships.
A well-managed aftermarket is no longer seen as an add-on service; it is becoming central to maintaining competitiveness and credibility.
Regional collaboration also stood out as a defining theme of the exhibition.
As our team observed, both Japan and Korea are shifting toward more sustainable and efficiency-focused operations, with regional shipowners and equipment suppliers strengthening partnerships with Korean shipbuilders.
This growing cross-market integration highlights the importance of shared innovation where expertise, technology, and production capability flow more freely between markets.
As Koji Tanizaki, Regional Director for Japan at Pelagus, noted:
“Both the Japanese and Korean markets are dynamic and interconnected. By sharing challenges and opportunities, we can collectively improve operational efficiency and strengthen the maritime industry as a whole.”
KORMARINE 2025 reinforced our mission: to help OEMs protect their market share and extend the value of their legacy portfolios through on-demand manufacturing and value chain collaboration.
By connecting OEMs, shipbuilders, and operators through a trusted ecosystem, the maritime and energy industry can reduce risk, safeguard intellectual property, and ensure that vital components remain available for decades to come.