2014年9月26日 星期五


A few weeks ago the Asahi News on-line reported the following:
最大手今治造船、国内生産にこだわり　提携で活路
　それが三菱重工業との提携だ。シェールガスの輸送などで需要が増えそうな液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）運搬船では、１３年４月に共同出資の設計・販売会社「ＭＩ　ＬＮＧカンパニー」を設立。１３年１２月には、海洋開発に強みを持つブラジルの造船大手に三菱重工などと出資し、ノウハウを取り込もうとしている。（山村哲史）

On the 14th (July) the Imabari shipbuilding (Imabari-city, Ehime), which had the biggest ship construction capacity in the country, announced a business plan which followed the growth caused by the increase in productivity of existing domestic shipbuilding plants. While the shipbuilding industry was shrinking, by taking advantage of the shipbuilding groups at the Seto Inland Sea which had been increasing steadily, Imabari would tie-up with other major companies as a strategy to challenge the intense ups and downs in the world market.

   The amount of ship built in Japan was at the 3rd place ranking next to China and South Korea in the world. Part of it had moved overseas where labor cost was cheap. President Yukito Higaki of the Imabari shipbuilding at a press conference at Tokyo metropolitan area on that day showed a commitment to the country in saying that "Do we move away for the merit of several percent (in cost reduction)? If we can maintain a suitable amount of construction we will not lose".

The Imabari shipbuilding in the 1980s - 2000s had successively sheltered companies in the same trade that had financial difficulties. All had conserved the power which could build various kinds of ships at a low cost in Setouchi in which shipbuilding industries had gathered together. At end of this year, the Tadotsu factory (Tadotsu-cho, Kagawa) near the Marugame business headquarters would be acquired from the Tsuneishi shipbuilding (Fukuyama-shi, Hiroshima) which had been active in overseas production, thus Imabari’s capability was strengthened.

As for the shipbuilding industry, globally there was excessive production capacity. There were also many companies which would be enlarged to become bigger than the present size and tried to remain undefeated. IHI and a subsidiary shipbuilding company of the JFE Holdings had merged in January 2013; the Japan Marine United would be inaugurated and would have a construction capacity 2nd in the industry. Namura Shipbuilding and Sasebo Heavy Industries opted for merging operations in May this year, and this new company would be at the 3rd place in the industry in October.

But President Higaki said "the M&A (merger and acquisition) up to now have created big shareholdings. To team up arm-in-arm for different kinds of favorite ships is good".

There was a tie-up with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. For the liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport ship, the demand was likely to increase due to the transportation of shale gas etc. A joint investment company of design and sales the "MI LNG company" was established in April 2013. In December 2013, a major shipbuilding company in Brazil which was strong at ocean development was financed by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry etc., and was trying to take in the know-how.

So Japan is keen in keeping a leading role in ship building globally.