Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, located in Chester, Pennsylvania on the Delaware River, was one of the major shipbuilding facilities in the Philadelphia region, operating from 1917 until its closure in 1982. Sun Ship built tankers, cargo vessels, and military ships — including vessels for the Navy and the U.S. Army — and was one of the largest employers in Delaware County, Pennsylvania during its operational peak. The publicly filed asbestos litigation corpus documents Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock with named asbestos supplier documentation, EPA facility records, asbestos workers’ union pension records, and personal testimony — establishing it as a recognized asbestos exposure venue in the Delaware Valley shipyard litigation record.

Who Was Exposed at Sun Shipbuilding

Workers at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in the following capacities may have asbestos exposure claims:

  • Insulation workers (Pipecoverers, HFIAW Insulators) who installed pipe lagging and boiler insulation under the union reciprocal agreement
  • Pipefitters and Boilermakers who worked in asbestos-insulated ship engineering spaces
  • All trades workers present in enclosed ship spaces during active asbestos insulation installation

VA Claims and Legal Options — Sun Shipbuilding Chester PA Workers

Civilian workers at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock in Chester who subsequently developed mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease may qualify for:

  • Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) for civilian Sun Ship workers
  • Civil claims against the Philadelphia Asbestos Company and other named asbestos product suppliers

Key documents for a Sun Ship claim:

  • Employment records — Sun Shipbuilding employment records documenting trade and service dates
  • Union records — HFIAW Local asbestos workers pension records documenting work at Sun Ship
  • Diagnosis — mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, or pleural disease

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.

Exposure documentation derived from publicly filed asbestos litigation records including Philadelphia Asbestos Company supplier documentation, EPA facility records, HFIAW union pension agreement documentation, and the national asbestos litigation record identifying Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock as a Delaware Valley asbestos exposure venue. This does not constitute legal or medical advice.