TMV Logistics, a U.S.-based early-stage venture capital fund investing in maritime, transportation, logistics and critical infrastructure, with a focus on AI, robotics, dual-use and energy technologies, and Waterline Partners, a South Korean specialized maritime asset management firm with offices in Seoul and Busan, today announced a strategic partnership to help U.S. and Korean maritime technology companies connect with customers and industry partners in each other’s markets.

Waterline Partners intends to pursue an investment in TMV Logistics, through a Waterline-sponsored investment vehicle, as part of a two-way strategic partnership between the firms. TMV Logistics will establish a presence in South Korea through Waterline Partners’ offices in Seoul and Busan, while Waterline will establish a presence in the United States through TMV’s New York office. TMV Logistics will support promising Korean maritime technology companies through access to capital, customers, strategic partners and commercial opportunities while helping U.S. entrepreneurs connect with South Korea’s world-class shipbuilders and industrial partners to advance maritime innovation and strengthen capabilities across both markets. Together, the firms will connect each other’s maritime and technology ecosystems.

The partnership comes at a defining moment for U.S.–South Korea maritime cooperation. Last year, South Korea committed $150 billion to modernize and expand U.S. shipbuilding capacity under a broader bilateral trade and investment agreement. In July, the two governments opened the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center (KUSPC) in Washington, D.C., alongside plans for collaborative research in AI, robotics and autonomous navigation. Building on this momentum, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries recently announced plans to invest more than approximately $1.06 billion in public and private funding to advance the application of AI in shipbuilding.

Waterline Partners will also support participation by other Korean institutional and strategic investors

For TMV Logistics and Waterline Partners, the partnership represents a shared, long-term commitment to strengthening connections between the United States and South Korea. Together, the firms aim to build a trusted bridge between the two countries’ maritime and technology ecosystems, helping founders, shipbuilders, shipowners and investors access new technologies, capital and commercial opportunities.

“The future of maritime innovation will be shaped by how effectively we connect technology, industry and capital across borders,” said Marina Hadjipateras, General Partner and Co-Founder of TMV Logistics. “The United States is home to a world-leading ecosystem of entrepreneurs, emerging technologies and industrial innovation, while South Korea brings an equally dynamic entrepreneurial community and some of the world’s most advanced shipbuilding and maritime capabilities. Our partnership with Waterline is about bringing these strengths together, opening new markets for entrepreneurs, accelerating the adoption of transformative technologies and creating meaningful commercial opportunities on both sides of the Pacific.”

“Korea will play a critical role in the future of global shipbuilding and maritime technology, and we believe TMV Logistics is a strategic U.S. partner to help connect our ecosystems,” said Woo-Song Jung, CEO & Founder of Waterline Partners. “Together, we can create a two-way pathway bringing leading U.S. maritime technologies to Korea’s shipbuilders, shipowners and industrial partners, while helping Korean maritime technology companies access customers, investors and strategic partners in the U.S. and global markets.”

About TMV Logistics

TMV Logistics is a New York-based venture capital fund backing early-stage companies transforming maritime, transportation, logistics and critical infrastructure. Co-anchored by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Prologis Ventures, the strategic investment arm of Prologis, the fund is led by Marina Hadjipateras and Soraya Darabi and brings together deep maritime expertise and an established venture investing platform.

About Waterline Partners

Waterline Partners is a specialized maritime asset management firm based in Seoul and Busan, South Korea. The firm focuses on maritime, logistics, infrastructure and technology investments, connecting Korean institutional and strategic capital with opportunities across the global maritime ecosystem. Waterline is led by CEO & Founder Woo-Song Jung, who has more than 20 years of experience across shipping, banking and asset management, including DAOL Asset Management, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Heung-A Shipping.

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