Page 36: of Marine News Magazine (January 2026)

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Feature

U.S. Shipbuilding Deals

Philadelphia to the Fore advance United States maritime dominance.” He also talk-

The major event in 2025 was the announcement that ed about “the transfer of Hanwha’s capabilities…” to the

Hanwha Group, which had bought the Philly Shipyard Philadelphia yard, which has built crude carriers (for Exx- from its Norwegian linked owners in late 2024 for $100 on-Mobil af? liate SeaRiver Maritime) and MR product million, had plans to invest up to $5 billion into the facil- tankers (notably for operation by OSG), and more recent- ity. In announcing the deal (at a time coinciding with the ly training vessels for maritime academies. The yard has an christening of the NMSV training vessel State of Maine, ongoing newbuild program underway for long-time cus-

Hanwha (which was previously known as Daewoo) said: tomer Matson, presently building three 3,600 teu “Aloha “The $5 billion program will be dedicated to the installa- Class” container vessels set for delivery in 2027 – 2028. It tion of two additional docks, and three quays to increase previously delivered two similar vessels, including Daniel capacity. Hanwha is also reviewing the build-out of a new K Inouye, delivered in 2018. In late 2025, Hanwha Ship- block assembly facility. Through this expansion, Hanwha ping (a different company within Hanwha) announced an aims to increase Philly Shipyard’s annual production vol- intention to build ten Jones Act Quali? ed MR tankers at ume from less than two vessels to up to 20.” the Philly Yard, with deliveries in the late 2020’s.

At Marine Money’s 2025 annual week-long conference, At the Marine Money December, 2025 conference in held in New York in June, David Kim, who had led the New Orleans, Tom Anderson, President, U.S. Shipbuild- integration of the Philadelphia facility into Hanwha in ing, Hanwha Defense USA, Inc., framing Hanwha’s move his role as CEO of Hanwha Philly Yard, provided insights into the U.S. said: “We have a lot of work to do in the into Hanwha’s plans for the yard, along with a broader per- States to get our shipbuilding machine up and running…” spective on its place in the broader U.S. maritime devel- Charles M. Salmon, Director of Business Develop- opment seascape. Possible synergies between commercial ment, for Hanwha Shipping, stressed that when company and military shipbuilding loom large in any such discus- executives gather, “…we talk about how do we support sion. Indeed, Kim from Hanwha Philly, spent a good por- the resurgence of shipbuilding capacity within the United tion of his Marine Money appearance talking about Naval States.” Salmon also pointed to non-partisan “political tail- shipbuilding. Kim’s remarks, along with those at the same winds” focused on national security that are expected to conference from his colleague, Ryan Lynch, highlighting drive demand for U.S. built vessels. In speaking about the the potential for signi? cant construction of LNG tankers ten-ship tanker order, he stressed the increased ef? ciencies going forward if the SHIPS Act reaches its full potential, from series production. said that through its Philadelphia presence, it “…can help Perhaps most interesting has been the on-again, off-

ALOHA class container vessel DANIEL K INOUYE.

OVERSEAS ANACORTES,

Built at Philly Shipyard.

Barry Parker Matson 36 | MN January 2026