HHIP Launches First Subic-Built Ship

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Philippines (HHIP) rolled out on Tuesday, July 28, its first newly built vessel, marking the official start of its full-scale shipbuilding operations.

HHIP held a launching ceremony for the Orion Jade, a 115,000-deadweight tonnage crude oil/product tanker, at the Subic shipyard.

The vessel is the first of four ships ordered by an Asia-based shipping company in December 2024. It is 250 meters in length, 42.4 meters in beam and 21.5 meters in depth.

Around 100 guests attended the ceremony to celebrate the launch of HHIP’s first vessel, including Im Dae-jun, president of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Philippines, Finance Secretary Frederick Go and Lee Sang-hwa, Korean ambassador to the Philippines.

Go said the launch is a “testament to the Marcos Jr. administration’s efforts to attract strategic investments and ensure that these commitments materialize into projects that generate quality jobs, strengthen out industrial capabilities and create meaningful economic opportunities for Filipinos.”

For his part, Im expressed gratitude to the Philippine government, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and its suppliers and contractors for supporting the firm’s local operations.

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) administrator Sonia Malaluan welcomed the development, emphasizing its significance in advancing the country’s shipbuilding and ship repair industry and creating more opportunities for Filipino workers.

“The launch of Orion Jade reflects the continued growth of the Philippine shipbuilding industry and the capabilities of the Filipino maritime workforce in supporting world-class shipbuilding operations,” Malaluan said.

The project has already generated around 4,000 jobs in Subic Bay and neighboring provinces, with employment expected to double as production ramps up, MARINA said.

To help meet the growing demand for skilled workers, HHIP partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to develop technical and vocational training programs tailored to the needs of the modern shipbuilding industry.

Construction of the four-vessel program began in September 2025 following a steel-cutting ceremony led by President Marcos, reflecting the government’s continuing efforts to attract strategic investments, strengthen the country’s industrial capabilities, and generate quality employment.