Hanwha names new president of US shipyard in Philadelphia amid expansion

WASHINGTON — South Korea’s Hanwha Group has appointed a new president of its Philadelphia shipyard in the United States, as the conglomerate seeks to expand its U.S. naval shipbuilding operations, according to the company.

Kim Hyuk has been named president of Hanwha Philly Shipyard, effective Monday, succeeding David Kim, who helped oversee Hanwha’s acquisition of the facility in 2024 and a near doubling of its workforce since then, the shipyard said in a press release.

The new president brings more than 25 years of experience in commercial and naval shipbuilding, including senior positions at Hanwha Ocean Co. and its predecessor, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.

The appointment comes as Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA), a subsidiary of South Korean defense giant Hanwha Aerospace Co., takes majority ownership of the Philadelphia shipyard as part of efforts to transform the facility into a dual-use shipyard capable of building both commercial and military vessels.

Kim will report directly to Tom Anderson, president of U.S. shipbuilding at HDUSA, who oversees the company’s shipbuilding operations in the United States.

According to Anderson, Kim brings “deep experience with building ships at scale from Hanwha Ocean’s flagship shipyard in South Korea, which delivers 35 to 45 commercial and naval vessels a year.”

“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.

Recently, HDUSA was selected by U.S. maritime services firm Tote Services to build one medium landing ship at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, with options to construct three additional vessels.