Defense Maritime Solutions (DMS) is set to expand its Chesapeake, Virginia operations with an investment exceeding $30m.
The company plans to establish domestic facilities for manufacturing, assembling, integrating, testing, finishing, and packaging Wärtsilä medium-speed marine engines in addition to providing lifecycle support.
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DMS expects the expansion to increase capacity for maritime supply chains, broaden access to marine power generation technology, support manufacturing efforts, and offer additional technical support for the operational life of the US Government fleet.
The investment is also expected to generate 32 new jobs.
DMS president Noble Davidson said: “This is a long-term investment in the people, infrastructure, and industrial capabilities required to support the future of the US maritime sector.
“By combining Wärtsilä’s proven medium-speed engine technology with DMS’s US based engineering, manufacturing, and lifecycle-support expertise, our customers will be supported with a resilient, responsive, and sustainable source of critical shipboard power and propulsion capability.”
For DMS, the investment aligns with the objectives of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact), a trilateral initiative led by the US Department of Homeland Security and involving Canada and Finland.
The ICE Pact is focused on increasing allied shipbuilding and industrial capacity.
Headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia, DMS supplies original equipment and offers integration engineering, manufacturing, field service, repair, overhaul, and lifecycle support for shipboard energy and propulsion systems.
The company also operates from its facilities in Poulsbo, Washington, and San Diego, California, situating the company near major US naval and maritime hubs.
Davidson said: “The Hampton Roads region offers an exceptional combination of skilled trades, engineering talent, maritime infrastructure, suppliers, and proximity to major fleet and shipbuilding customers.”
