TOTE Services said on Friday it has selected Hanwha Defense USA as the first shipbuilder under its $2.2 billion Vessel Construction Manager contract for the Navy’s Medium Landing Ship program, a $269 million award to build one vessel at Hanwha Philly Shipyard with options for three additional ships. Construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027, with the first vessel scheduled for delivery in 2030, and TOTE said Hanwha was chosen on competitive pricing and acceptance of subcontract terms after a bidding process launched in July. The landing ships are intended to move Marine Corps personnel, equipment and supplies between islands and coastal locations, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, under a planned fleet of 35 vessels of which TOTE’s initial contract covers up to eight.
Hanwha Philly Shipyard wins $269 million Navy landing ship contract
TOTE Services has selected Hanwha Defense USA to build a Medium Landing Ship at Hanwha Philly Shipyard under a $269 million contract, with options for three more ships and construction due to start in late 2027.
Why it matters: The award is Hanwha Defense USA's first US Navy shipbuilding contract, a concrete step in the South Korean group's plan to turn the Philadelphia yard it bought in 2024 into a dual use naval and commercial facility.
Data as of gCaptain report of October 30, 2026, read in full in this run, reporting TOTE Services' announcement; single trade press source, no Navy or TOTE release read in this run, hence grade C. Developing item.
Sources
- Hanwha Philly Shipyard wins $269 million U.S. Navy landing ship contract - gCaptain - 2026-10-30