Tsuneishi delivers 2nd biggest ship

SHIPBUILDER Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc. on (THICI) Tuesday delivered m/v Cape Sampagita, the second largest ship the company built next to m/v Tenshu Maru, a 180,000-deadweight ton (DWT) bulk carrier delivered last year. The m/v Cape Sampagita, which was built for almost one year at THICI, is owned by the Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. the world’s 10th largest container transportation and shipping company that owns and controls large cargo ships, container ships, container terminals, gas carriers, roll-on roll-off ships and tankers. M/v Cape Sampagita is a 180,000-DWT bulk carrier and is the 14th vessel delivered this year. It will first sail to Singapore then to Australia, until it reaches the port of Japan. The vessel is manned by 21 Filipino sailors.

Confidence

THICI operates in a 147-hectare compound within the West Cebu Industrial Park in Balamban. The firm is a joint venture between Japan’s Tsuneishi Group and the Aboitiz Group, which was established in 1994. THICI builds bulk carriers as well as car and truck carriers for international clients. THICI president Hitoshi Kono said the delivery of m/v Cape Sampagita is another testament to the firm’s confidence in the global shipbuilding industry. “We want to be among the best shipyards around the world,” Kono said. THICI is fully booked until October 2014. It targets to build 18 vessels this year, of which 13 are vessels with deadweight of 58,000 MT while five are cape-sized vessels with deadweight of 180,000 MT. During last year’s delivery of m/v Tenshu Maru, the largest ship built in the country, Aboitiz Equity Ventures president Erramon Aboitiz said the Philippines will become the fourth largest shipbuilder in the world with the combined output of the Balamban shipyard and Hanjin in Subic. He said the shipyard, which was built on a quiet beach 16 years ago with under 2,000 workers, now employs 11,000 workers with an annual payroll of about P2 billion. With the reported increase in oil demand, stronger availability of financial support and market recovery, the shipbuilding market is forecast to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.7 percent (in terms of DWT) during 2011-2013, according to the Global Shipbuilding Market Report 2011 by Research and Markets.

Market share

The report said China accounts for the largest market share in all major global shipbuilding activities. India, Vietnam, Brazil and the Philippines are the other emerging shipbuilding nations striving to compete for a share in the global market. Of the various vessels manufactured in the global shipbuilding market, bulk carriers, tankers and container ships form the major categories.  The report also said environmental issues are being treated with concern and priority by the shipping industry. Companies all across the globe are focusing on building eco-friendly ships that are more efficient and comply with environmental regulations to reduce carbon emissions.

By: Katlene O. Cacho
Sun.Star Cebu