A South Korean naval visit to CFB Esquimalt is serving as both a show of military co-operation and a sales pitch for one of the submarines Canada is considering for its future multi-billionaire-dollar fleet.

The frigate ROKS Daejeon and the submarine ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho arrived at CFB Esquimalt on Saturday as part of a two-week visit and the first trans-Pacific trip by a Republic of Korea Navy submarine.

To start the visit, South Korean officials gave a model of a submarine filled with South Korea seawater to Canadian officials.

The ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, a KSS-III-class submarine built by Hanwha Ocean, is one of two models in contention for a 12-boat addition to the Royal Canadian Navy fleet over the next few decades.

They would replace Canada’s four aging diesel-electric submarines, bought used from Britain in 1998, and delivered in the early 2000s.

South Korea naval officials were keen to talk about the advantages of the state-of-the-art submarine, which arrived at Esquimalt with help from air-independent propulsion.

The process uses hydrogen and oxygen to create power without needing to take in surface oxygen, which diesel-electric engines have to do to charge their batteries.

While the submarine features lithium-ion batteries, it still uses diesel engines to generate energy that’s stored in the batteries.

Air-independent propulsion generates its own power, but not enough for all submarine operations.

Still, the system means the vessels can stay underwater for long periods without coming up for air to power the diesel engines.

South Korea naval officers said the ability to stay underwater for weeks at a time made it possible for their submarine to power through a typhoon on their almost two-month journey to North America without worrying about not being able to surface.

Hanwha officials say the submarine’s later models could be delivered to Canadian waters starting in 2032.

Glenn Copeland, managing director and CEO of Hanwha Defence Canada, said the submarine’s endurance is only limited by the amount of food on board.

Copeland said he’s hopeful about the company’s bid chances, given the fact that the competing German-made ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems submarine hasn’t hit the water yet.

The Type 212CD submarine is a joint project between the German and Norwegian navies set to be ready in the next few years.

Copeland said his company expects Canada to decide between the two models by the end of June.

The South Korean model meets all the requirements of the Royal Canadian Navy, from range to endurance to size to weapons, he said. “We feel very good about our chances. Right now, if you asked anybody, they would say it’s 50-50. But there is something we have going for ourselves right now.”

Canada, he said, has asked for a very significant domestic economic package to go along with the new submarines. “I think we have met the mark on that one.

The Canadian government has also asked for speedy delivery, Copeland said. “We can deliver the first one by 2032, and four of them by 2035.” In light of the economic benefit and speedy delivery requirements, “we feel very good about our chances.”

As part of the bid, Hanwha has entered into agreements and partnerships with about 70 organizations across Canada, which it says could result in more than $70 billion in trade and investment.

Included are a raft of companies and organizations with a presence on Vancouver Island.

North Saanich-based EMCS Industries Ltd. has a preliminary subcontract to provide corrosion protection and marine growth protection technologies to Hanwha, while We Wai Kai First Nation and Western Forest Products have a memorandum of understanding with Hanwha on building modular housing.

University of Victoria’s Ocean Networks Canada would collaborate with the South Korean company on Arctic environmental research and autonomous navigation.

Specifics of the agreements between Hanwha and its Canadian partners have not been made public. Collaboration partners range from key Canadian manufacturers like Algoma Steel Inc. to a startup looking to build a data centre in Terrace.

Regardless of the country whose technology is chosen, Rear Admiral David Patchell said many of the new submarines will dock at CFB Esquimalt, which will require new infrastructure.

Patchell said he expects about $10 billion will be spent at CFB Esquimalt over the next 10 years to make space for the submarines, and the navy will grow from 200 to 1,000 qualified submariners to work on the new vessels.

He said the new submarines are important for protecting Canada’s vast coastline, and the two navies will continue to work together regardless of who wins the bid.

“The pressures we’re facing are growing, and no nation should face them alone,” he said. “This is democracy, this is freedom in action, and this is partnership.”

Crew quarters inside the South Korean vessel are more spacious than those on Canadian submarines, according to the two Royal Canadian Navy sailors who joined the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho on its month-long journey from Hawaii to Esquimalt.

Lt.-Cmdr. Brittany Bourgeois and Petty Officer Second Class Jake Dixon both said they were impressed with the spacious interior and sophisticated technology. The control room features more screens and computer-automated panels than buttons and knobs.

Crew berth areas include privacy doors and a desk area for every three sailors, with more space afforded to officers and the captain.

The captain’s sleeping area even includes its own bathroom.

Signage in both Korean and English is used throughout ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, including for crew areas, safety equipment and navigation tools.

ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Executive Officer Dong Keon Oh said that is on purpose, and but isn’t the norm for other South Korean naval vessels.

He said the bilingual signs were put there with joint training exercises in mind to help English-speaking sailors feel more comfortable.

Oh noted that the beds are “up to European standards” in terms of length and did not pose an issue for the Canadian sailors.

On Tuesday night, the Naden Band and the Republic of Korea Navy Band hosted a joint concert at the Royal Theatre that featured classical and pop songs from both cultures, including music by Gordon Lightfoot and K-pop group BTS.

The rest of the visit will include joint training exercises with Canadian ships, including submarine HMCS Corner Brook, in waters off southern Vancouver Island.

It’s the first time the two navies have had training exercises together.

The warships are set to leave Victoria on June 7, heading home with six Canadian sailors on board who will disembark in Hawaii.

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— With files from Michael John Lo and The Canadian Press