On Jan. 22, Newport News Shipbuilding marked one year of Charleston Operations in Goose Creek. The company hosted community and Navy leaders at the facility and a town hall event for all NNS Charleston Operations shipbuilders.

“Today, we celebrate our teammates here in South Carolina for the incredible difference you are making and will continue to make,” NNS President Kari Wilkinson said. “Whether you work in South Carolina or Virginia, we are one team on an important mission with the power to change the course of history – one component, one unit, one module, one boat or one ship at a time.”

Since the asset acquisition closing in January 2025, NNS has continued to ramp up production at this important facility in support of its U.S. Navy programs. The South Carolina team was able to deliver its first unit within the first 40 days as NNS Charleston Operations, and has exceeded production targets for 2025.

“You are crucial as we continue to ramp up submarine and carrier shipbuilding,” Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker, program executive officer, attack submarines, told shipbuilders at the town hall. “Part of increasing shipbuilding is what we call distributed shipbuilding or outsourcing, (which means) leveraging the people here and those around the country to be able to increase our capacity to build the submarines and aircraft carriers and ships that our nation needs. I can’t thank you enough for what you do day in and day out.”

Charleston shipbuilders are taking immense pride in the work they’re accomplishing.

Tiffany Bell Marze said being a shipbuilder means serving her country in a higher capacity. “You don’t have to be in the military to help protect our country,” she added. “It is a great honor and privilege to do what I do. I do this for my family. I want my son to know that we can do anything we put our minds to.”

Buddy Best agreed. “Being a shipbuilder means taking pride in what I do and pride in my nation. It means doing my part in defending our nation,” he said.

NNS Charleston Operations is located on 45 acres along the Cooper River with more than 480,000 square feet of covered manufacturing space. It is strategically located within South Carolina’s rapidly growing maritime ecosystem, having both barge and rail access, capacity to expand, and growing access to the highly skilled maritime trades workforce.

Watch this brief highlights video from the event.