Economic Impact of the Philadelphia Naval Base and Shipyard on the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area

Early in 1990, the US Department of Defense publicly acknowledged that serious consideration was being given to closing the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Base. The Commonwealth contracted with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) to oversee the development of an assessment, and PIDC, in turn, employed the Pennsylvania Economy League to conduct the research.

This study analyzes the economic impact of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Base on the Philadelphia metropolitan area and the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The study details the consequences on the region’s employment, income, sales and general economic activity from a closure of this installation.