Aron Flying Ship Ltd.
Aron Flying Ship Ltd. (아론비행선박산업㈜) is a South Korean manufacturer of Wing-in-Ground-effect (WIG) craft: hybrid vessels that combine shipbuilding and aviation engineering to skim just above the sea surface at far higher speeds than a conventional ferry. Founded in Sacheon in February 2008, Aron spent more than a decade and roughly 60 billion won developing its M80 model, which in 2020 became the first WIG craft in the world to receive classification certification, from the Korea Register of Shipping. Aron holds a national core technology designation from the South Korean government for its WIG craft design work, a status that restricts how the underlying technology can be shared or exported. The company markets the M80 for island ferry routes, medical evacuation, search and rescue, and coast guard use, and in 2022 signed its first export contract, a $16.5 million deal to supply five M80 units to Italy's Alilauro Group for a Naples route.
Company Facts
- Headquarters: Sacheon-si, South Korea
- Founded: 2008
- Employees: 28
- Type: scaleup
- Website: http://www.aron.co.kr
- Industries: WIG craft, Maritime mobility, Shipbuilding, Aerospace manufacturing, Advanced marine transport
Key People at Aron Flying Ship Ltd.
- Baek-cheol Jeong — Director, Aron Flying Ship Ltd. (as of 2014; current status unconfirmed)
- Hyun-wook Cho — Chief Executive Officer, Aron Flying Ship Ltd.