Miles Jamison 
- Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao discussed Hanwha’s investment plans supporting U.S. maritime operations
- Hanwha Defense USA plans targeted facility investments ahead of potential Navy shipbuilding work
- Hanwha Philly Shipyard is working on concept designs for the Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship program
Hung Cao, acting secretary of the Navy and a 2026 Wash100 Award winner, met with Hanwha Defense USA and Hanwha Philly Shipyard executives during a visit to the Philadelphia shipyard Wednesday.
What Did Cao Discuss With Hanwha?
Discussions centered on HDUSA’s investment plans for shipbuilding capacity, facility expansion and workforce growth, as part of efforts to strengthen U.S. maritime capabilities. The group discussed possible opportunities to expand domestic shipbuilding with the goal of deploying more ships.
HDUSA CEO Michael Coulter said the company is making targeted facility investments as it prepares to build ships for the U.S. Navy.
“For nearly two centuries the Philadelphia Navy Yard built world-class vessels for American sailors, and HDUSA is committed to bringing naval shipbuilding back to this yard and helping the U.S. Navy build more ships,” said Coulter.
In March, HDUSA and Hanwha Philly Shipyard joined VARD Marine US on concept design work for the Navy’s Next Generation Logistics Ship program, which aims to develop light replenishment oilers for distributed maritime operations.
What Progress Has Hanwha Made at the Philly Shipyard?
Sitting on 115 acres where the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers meet, the shipyard is responsible for roughly half of the large ocean-going Jones Act vessels built in the U.S. since 2000. It has nearly doubled its workforce to about 2,500 employees since Hanwha acquired the facility in 2024. The shipyard has also invested in workforce training and shipbuilding capacity, according to Hanwha Philly Shipyard CEO David Kim.
The workforce growth comes as Hanwha pursues a broader modernization effort at the facility, including plans involving robots, automation, infrastructure expansion and worker training.
Four National Security Multi-Mission Vessels have been handed over to the Maritime Administration so far. One of those four, TS Empire State, began a federal mission this month after MARAD activated it to support Navy operations in the Indo-Pacific. The shipyard is expected to deliver the fifth and final ship in 2027.
The shipyard has also taken on additional federal shipbuilding work, including the Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel program for the Missile Defense Agency.
