Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.

Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company

Company type	Private
Industry	Shipbuilding
Founded	1917
Founder	Sun Oil Company
Defunct	1982
Fate	Ownership transferred to Pennsylvania Shipbuilding in 1982; operations closed in 1989
Headquarters	Chester , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	John Glenn Pew (president)
Products	Tankers, hospital ships, cargo vessels, escort carriers, roll-on/roll-off vessels
Number of employees	40,000+
Parent	Sun Oil Company (original)

Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company operated from 1917 until 1982 as a prominent shipyard located in Chester, Pennsylvania, situated along the Delaware River.

Primarily focusing on the construction of tankers, the company manufactured a range of vessel types throughout its seven decades of operation. During World War II, Sun Shipbuilding played a crucial role in the U.S. Government's Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Additionally, during the Cold War, it supported the U.S. aerospace industry by building propulsion testing facilities, including in 1963 the largest rocket test chamber in the United States for Aerojet General.

History

Established by Sun Oil Company, Sun Shipbuilding launched its inaugural ship in 1917 as America entered World War I. Under the leadership of president John Glenn Pew, the company grew substantially, evolving into a major shipyard producing tankers for the Standard Oil Company by the 1920s. In 1936, political influence was utilized to regulate hiring practices, demonstrating strategic alliances at the local level.

By the time of World War II, Sun Shipbuilding had become one of the top five shipyards nationally, operating eight slipways and expanding to twenty during wartime to become the largest shipyard in the United States. It employed more than 40,000 workers across four separate yards and was recognized as the largest private employer of African-Americans at that period, though it continued to enforce segregated labor policies.

During WWII, Sun constructed 281 T2 tankers—accounting for nearly 40% of all U.S. wartime production—along with hospital ships, cargo vessels, and escort carriers commissioned by the United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM). On Liberty Fleet Day (September 27, 1941), it launched SS Surprise. Although initially contracted to build 30 C4 ships, MARCOM redirected most of these orders to Kaiser’s yard to allow Sun to focus on tanker output; Sun’s C4-S-B2 models were utilized as troop transports or hospital ships.

Following the war, Sun Shipbuilding continued producing merchant vessels but divested parts of its yard for industrial development. In the 1970s, it constructed ten roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) vessels for various clients; notably, one such ship, SS El Faro, was lost during a hurricane in 2015.

Around February 18, 1971, Sun built the covert Glomar Explorer for CIA operations aimed at salvaging a sunken Soviet submarine. This endeavor required a specialized crane vessel, Sun 800, designed to install its large gimbal assembly.

Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Company

In 1982, ownership transferred to Pennsylvania Shipbuilding, which continued operations until closing in 1989. The Central Yard has since been adapted for commercial purposes, while the North Yard functions independently as a cargo terminal.

Harrah's Philadelphia

A casino initially named "Harrah's Chester" opened on the former Sun Ship property in 2006. It was rebranded in May 2012 and currently operates under the name Harrah's Philadelphia, marking a significant redevelopment of this historic site.

External links

• Historical resource on Sun Shipbuilding
• Military Analysis Network by the Federation of American Scientists
• http://users.telenet.be/doxford-matters/sundoxford.html
• http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/sun.htm