CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A company that manufactures shipboard energy and propulsion systems is set to invest millions of dollars into expanding operations in Chesapeake, according to an announcement made by Gov. Abigail Spanberger's office.
Defense Maritime Solutions (DMS), which is headquartered in Chesapeake, will create 32 jobs through their $30 million expansion. This investment is designed to increase domestic manufacturing, allowing the company to rely less on offshore production.
“Developing U.S. based production and testing capabilities for Wärtsilä medium-speed engines in Chesapeake will allow us to better support the Navy, Coast Guard, and other government fleets while strengthening supply-chain resilience and creating highly skilled manufacturing careers. We are grateful to the Commonwealth of Virginia and our local and regional partners for helping bring this capability to Hampton Roads,” said DMS President Noble Davidson.
DMS will produce Wärtsilä engines and also support the goals of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, which is an agreement between the United States, Canada, and Finland to bolster shipbuilding capabilities within these countries and their allies.
“By increasing domestic production of critical ship systems, DMS is strengthening America’s defense supply chain, creating new opportunities for hardworking Virginians, and reinforcing Hampton Roads as our nation’s premier defense hub. I am proud that a company with deep roots in the Commonwealth continues to choose Virginia as its home to invest, innovate, and grow,” Spanberger said in a press release.
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