Hanwha Ocean inundated with visit requests after acquiring U.S. shipyard

Hanwha Ocean, which acquired the Philadelphia shipyard in the U.S., is being besieged by frequent visit requests. Following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, expectations for amendments to the Jones Act and the Byrnes-Tollefson Amendment, along with increased possibilities for cooperation in the South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding industry, have led to a flood of visit requests.

The Jones Act requires that vessels transporting goods between U.S. ports be built in the United States. It was enacted in 1920 to strengthen national security. The Byrnes-Tollefson Amendment, which prohibits all vessels and their major components for the U.S. military from being constructed in foreign shipyards, was established between 1965 and 1968.

According to the shipbuilding industry, Hanwha Ocean has been receiving visit requests from the government and the National Assembly since acquiring the Philadelphia shipyard. The Philadelphia shipyard is the first American shipyard acquired by a domestic shipbuilder and has garnered attention as the Trump administration seeks cooperation with the South Korean shipbuilding industry.

Lee An-joo, a lawmaker of the Democratic Party, disclosed her visit to the Philadelphia shipyard in February. During a visit to the U.S. as part of an economic delegation sent by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lee requested a tour of the Philadelphia shipyard from Hanwha Ocean. Following her visit, she revealed the details through her personal YouTube channel and media interviews, sharing some photos taken at the shipyard. Typically, photography is restricted at shipyards according to international maritime port security regulations.

The lawmaker shared photos of the marine crane and completed vessels, stating, "Hanwha Ocean's acquisition of the Philadelphia shipyard is significant as it represents Korea's acquisition of an American shipyard." She continued, "It's not a large shipyard. (After visiting the Philadelphia shipyard) it looks like a shipyard from the 1980s," and noted, "Currently, they reportedly produce only one vessel a year, but if Hanwha Ocean increases productivity after acquiring it, they could potentially make 10 vessels a year."

The Philadelphia shipyard, which Hanwha Ocean acquired at the end of last year, is situated on the site of the U.S. Navy's Philadelphia public shipyard, and due to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration's requirements, it is currently building multi-purpose national security vessels, making outside visits understandably burdensome.

A relation in the shipbuilding industry said, "The Philadelphia shipyard operates independently from domestic businesses, so requests for visits from domestic institutions are bound to be burdensome."