Senior U.S. administration officials inspected a shipyard and outlined a policy to fill gaps in domestic supply chains amid accelerating foreign investment. The report also examines the launch of a strategic vendor program and efforts to improve transparency in the review process.
Under the Trump administration, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Pilkerton and SBA Administrator Lefler said the government intends to identify gaps in U.S. domestic supply chains amid accelerating foreign investment and work with foreign investors to secure access to parts. They visited the Philadelphia shipyard acquired by Hanwha Ocean and Hanwha Group, noting that while import tariffs and deregulation are encouraging investment, maintaining continuity in parts supplies is essential.
The official explained the aim of launching a “strategic vendor program” to strengthen domestic supply chains and support the long-term success of foreign-owned companies. The program is still in the pilot stage, and detailed guidance, including how vendors will be identified, has not been published.
Lefler said that approximately 90,000 factories and 5 million manufacturing jobs had been lost over the past 40 to 50 years, and that the SBA had provided approximately $3 billion in financial support to manufacturers in 2025. Hanwha Philly Shipyard has pledged to invest $5 billion over the next several years, and employment could increase from approximately 2,000 currently to 10,000.
Kim, the CEO, said the shipyard relies on more than 1,000 suppliers to build a single large vessel, approximately two-thirds of which are U.S. companies. Kim said the number of suppliers is expected to increase as AI-powered production technologies are introduced.