Hanwha Philly Shipyard Selected by TOTE to Build First Medium Landing Ship

Hanwha Defense USA was officially named as the first shipbuilder selected by TOTE Services to build a Medium Landing Ship (LSM) for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps under TOTE Services' Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) contract. The selection marks Hanwha Defense USA's first contract to build ships for the U.S. Navy and a key step for Hanwha Group, which has aspired to win government contracts since buying the Philly Shipyard in December 2024.

TOTE Services was awarded a $2.2 billion VCM contract to support the Navy and Marine Corps' planned 35-ship McClung-class landing ships fleet. The VCM model, which was pioneered with the construction of the five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels, the training ships for the five state maritime academies, appoints TOTE to oversee the shipyard selection, design, construction, testing, delivery, and lifecycle logistics. TOTE highlights that the model establishes one accountable management structure, which helps to accelerate the projects, management, and cost control for the program.

As VCM for the LSM program, TOTE Services issued a competitive request for proposals (RFP) to qualified U.S. shipyards in July 2026. The concept is for a class of 100-meter (328-foot) shallow-draft, shore-to-shore amphibious ships based on the design developed by Damen. They would be able to carry approximately 250 marines or up to approximately 500 to 800 tons of cargo.

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