Hanwha Philly Shipyard Names New President as U.S. Navy Expansion Accelerates

Hanwha Philly Shipyard has named shipbuilding veteran Hyuk Kim as its new president, effective November 2, as the Philadelphia yard moves ahead with plans to expand into U.S. Navy shipbuilding while maintaining its commercial operations.

Kim, who brings more than 25 years of naval and commercial shipbuilding experience, succeeds David Kim, who helped oversee Hanwha’s acquisition of the shipyard in 2024 and a near doubling of its workforce since then.

The leadership change comes amid a broader restructuring announced last week that will place the shipyard under the control of Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA), the U.S. subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace. Kim will report directly to retired Rear Adm. Tom Anderson, HDUSA’s president of U.S. shipbuilding, who oversees the company’s American shipbuilding operations.

The appointment follows a series of major developments at the yard, including last week’s selection of HDUSA to build a $269 million Medium Landing Ship for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The agreement with TOTE Services covers one vessel, with options for three additional ships.

In July, the shipyard was also awarded a contract to build a Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel for the Missile Defense Agency, marking its first new-construction contract under Hanwha ownership.

“Hanwha’s upgrades and investments in Philly Shipyard are enabling the yard to now build for the federal government as well as commercial ships, bringing the Philadelphia waterfront back to its roots as a key part of the Arsenal of Democracy,” Anderson said.

He pointed to Hyuk Kim’s experience at Hanwha Ocean and its predecessor, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, where he held senior positions. Hanwha Ocean’s flagship South Korean shipyard produces between 35 and 45 commercial and naval vessels annually, according to the company.

“By building on the strong foundation established in the months since Hanwha acquired the yard, we will focus on strengthening operational excellence, expanding shipbuilding capacity, and developing the workforce needed to support both commercial and naval programs,” Kim said.

Hanwha acquired the Philadelphia shipyard in December 2024 and has since outlined ambitious plans to modernize its facilities, expand production capacity and bring South Korean shipbuilding expertise to the United States.

The transition into defense shipbuilding represents a significant shift for a facility that has long been one of America’s most important commercial shipyards. According to Hanwha, the yard has delivered approximately half of all large oceangoing Jones Act commercial vessels built in the United States since 2000.

The expansion also raises an important question for the U.S. maritime industry: whether Hanwha can substantially increase naval production while continuing to serve the country’s commercial shipbuilding needs.

Hanwha has maintained that its goal is to develop the Philadelphia facility into a dual-use shipyard capable of supporting both markets. The appointment of a new president with extensive experience in high-volume shipbuilding marks another step toward that goal.

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