Title of the site

Sun Shipbuilding

Sun Shipbuilding was established in 1916 in Chester, PA as a reactive industry to the European war being waged overseas. Due to heavy ship losses, the industry demanded production and Sun Shipbuilding answered the call. As a subsidiary of Sun Oil, the necessary land for a functioning shipyard was acquired in Chester, Pennsylvania along the Delaware River in the Spring of 1916. A well formulated facility was erected that year, with the capability of hull construction of nearly 500'. In early 1917, under the auspices of a Sun Oil contract, the first keel was laid and constructed. Completion of the initial vessel fell on October 30, 1917, with delivery to Sun Oil in December of that same year.

After WWI, the shipyard facilities were expanded. The first phase of modernization in 1920 meant the expansion of the hull building facilities to accommodate construction of vessels of up to 600'. The second phase included the construction of two large floating docks with necessary drainage basins, thus allowing for the development of an expansive drydock facility capable of complex repairs.

The next major phase of the yard's development was the contracting under the United States Maritime Commission during the Second World War. With further oil tanker constructing in mind the Commission requested that Sun Shipbuilding further expand its production by purchasing more land for the task at hand, with a full compliment of railway facilities and other necessary infrastructure. In May of 1941, the Commission placed an order for 92 large oil tankers. By the end of WWII, the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company had built nearly 250 government contracted vessels, contributing immensely to war era maritime construction efforts. At its peak of production, the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company employed nearly 40,000 people.

Following WWII, much of the land occupied by Sun Shipbuilding was sold off, as productions demands had understandably diminished. Operation under Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company continued until 1982, when it was sold to Pennsylvania Shipping. All vessel construction had ceased by 1989. The central shipyard has been sold or leased for multiple uses since that time, while the North Yard of what was once Sun Shipbuilding is now utilized under the control of an independent cargo terminal.

Like many shipyards during the WWII, Sun Shipbuilding answered the call of the United States war efforts. This would not have been possible without the hard work of the many workers employed by the facility. Workers were the backbone of the war-boom economy and deserve to be recognized for their contributions. During their labors theses workers encountered many dangers, but upheld the labor ethic of our nation to complete these monumental tasks. Some of these dangers were more easily recognized than others. One of the more difficult dangers to recognize was the exposure to dangerous material with which they may have worked. Asbestos was one of the more widely-utilized materials in the construction of older vessels. If you or someone you know may have been exposed to one of these dangerous toxins while employed at Sun Shipbuilding or other shipyards, it is important that you seek out more information from a physician. Legal, emotional, and medical support is your right.

Ships built by Sun Shipbuilding:

• USS Kitty Hawk AKV-1

Last modified: October 03 2008.