Imabari Shipbuilding News

Continuous design refinement and incremental productivity gains — reflecting the Japanese concept of kaizen — alongside unremitting attention to contractual performance and product quality have seen the country’s shipbuilders maintain a high profile in certain sectors of the commercial vessel market.The industry’s scale, reach and financial returns, though, have suffered from the onslaught of competition from its Asian counterparts, most notably China and South Korea, both of whom the Japanese contend benefit from both overt and covert state financial intervention.By the measure of output…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries group, Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., "K" LINE, MOL, NYK Line, JMU, and NSY have concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a standard design framework to efficiently develop and carry out the initial design of liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carriers and next generation alternative fuel ships utilizing decarbonization technologies (such as ammonia fuel). MILES Co., Ltd. (formerly known as MI LNG Company)…

China’s share of the tanker orderbook rose from 32.4% in 2022, to 62.6% in 2023 and then 71.2% in 2024. Its share of the container ship orderbook has shown a similar growth trajectory. The nation has ranked first in the world for new orders since 2012. Labor costs are about half of what they are in Korea and Japan, and China is the world’s cheapest steel manufacturer.Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO, says that during the past five years Chinese shipyards have built 50% of the ship capacity delivered, and Chinese shipyards now hold 66% of the ship capacity in the orderbook.

Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) advised a consortium of lenders on an ECA-backed JOLCO financing for Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd. (ONE) to finance four newbuild container vessels. The consortium comprised BNP PARIBAS (acting through its Tokyo Branch and as ECA Coordinator), The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Tokyo Branch and Citibank, N.A., Tokyo Branch (as mandated lead arrangers) as well as Japanese export credit agencies Japan Bank for International Cooperation…

Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., JFE Holdings, Inc. and IHI Corporation reached an agreement under which Imabari Shipbuilding will acquire a portion of the shares of Japan Marine United Corporation owned by JFE and IHI.Imabari Shipbuilding and JMU established a capital and business alliance and joint sales and design company, Nippon Shipyard, on January 1, 2021, to enhance the international competitiveness of both companies' commercial ship businesses. However, in light of the global market environment that is expected to become even more competitive in the future, Imabari Shipbuilding and JMU have determined that they need to further strengthen their competitiveness through further collaboration…

Ocean Network Express (ONE) named the 13,900-TEU ONE Singapore, the sixth vessel in a series of 20 ammonia/methanol ready container vessels. The naming ceremony took place at the Hiroshima Shipyard of Imabari Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. in Japan, marking another milestone in ONE's fleet expansion program."Today's naming of ONE Singapore signifies further progress in our fleet expansion strategy," said Jeremy Nixon, CEO, ONE. "This vessel, carrying the name of our global headquarters city, symbolizes our strong connection to Singapore's vibrant maritime ecosystem.

The University of Osaka, in collaboration with Imabari Shipbuilding, Japan Marine United Corporation, ClassNK and MTI will establish the Open Collaboration Laboratory for Enabling Advanced Marine Systems (OCEANS) at the University of Osaka in April 2025.Nihon Shipyard (NYS), a sales and design company owned by Imabari Shipbuilding and Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU), will also participate in the design and engineering research activities led by OCEANS.The initiative aims to promote the global competitiveness of Japan’s maritime industry.In an era of unprecedented change…

Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp has purchased three 8,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel-ready container ships from Japanese ship leasing company Shoei Kisen Kaisha.The vessels, being built by Imabari Shipbuilding, are scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2029.Yang Ming said the acquisition will strengthen its global service network and reinforce its commitment to providing customers with reliable and sustainable transportation service.To support business growth and maintain core competitiveness…

MITSUI E&S has announced the beginning of the test phase for the world’s first commercial, two-stroke, dual-fuel ammonia engine. The MAN B&W 7S60ME-LGIA (-Liquid Gas Injection Ammonia) Mk 10.5 prototype engine began its ammonia fuel test-run at MITSUI E&S’s Tamano Factory in Japan.The 60-bore engine will eventually be installed aboard a 200,000-dwt bulk carrier at Imabari Shipbuilding for a joint venture between “K” LINE, NS United and ITOCHU Corp. It also features MAN Energy…

Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. has entered into two definitive agreements with unaffiliated third parties in Japan for the purchase of a Japanese-built Newcastlemax vessel and a bareboat charter with a purchase obligation for one Japanese-built Capesize vessel, for approximately $69 million.The Newcastlemax was built in 2013 at Imabari Shipbuilding, Saijo Shipyard, and has a cargo-carrying capacity of approximately 207,851 deadweight tons (dwt).The vessel will be renamed Meiship and is expected to be delivered within the first quarter of 2025…

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and NYK’s affiliate Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers AS (KNCC) are conducting a joint constructability study of a 40,000 cbm terminal-to-terminal liquefied CO2 (LCO2) vessel based on KNCC’s proprietary technology of LCO2-Elevated Pressure (LCO2-EP) Cargo Tanks together with Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. (NSY), which is a joint venture for ship design and sales between Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Japan Marine United Corporation.CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) is a technology to capture CO2 at the source — such as power plants…

ABS issued an approval in principle (AIP) to leading Japanese companies at Gastech 2024 for two liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) carrier designs with Type-C cargo tanks that do not require performing post-weld-heat-treatment based on the demonstration of an engineering critical assessment.ABS reviewed the drawings based on class and statutory requirements for the two designs, a 50K cubic meter carrier and a 23K cubic meter carrier, featuring Type-C cylindrical tanks made of carbon…

“K” LINE, MOL, NYK Line, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Imabari Shipbuilding, JMU, and Nihon Shipyard have started a joint study to establish standard specifications and designs for liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carriers.As the demand for LCO2 carriers is expected to grow in various CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) projects that transport CO2 collected in Japan to storage sites by sea, it is necessary to build and supply LCO2 carriers stably within Japan to realize the CCS value chain and improve economic efficiency. Therefore, the seven companies have agreed to conduct a joint study to establish standard specifications and designs for LCO2…

“K” Line, MOL and NYK Line have commenced a joint study with a group of Japanese shipyards for the design and specification of LCO2 carriers and the development of a supporting construction supply chain.The companies believe that as the demand for LCO2 carriers is expected to grow to support projects that transport CO2 collected in Japan to storage sites by sea, it is necessary to build LCO2 carriers stably within Japan. This will help realize the CCS value chain for Japan and improve the economic efficiency of the projects.The shipyards participating in the study are Mitsubishi Shipbuilding…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Nihon Shipyard -- a Tokyo-based joint venture for ship design and sales between Imabari Shipbuilding  and Japan Marine United Corporation -- have started joint study for the development of an ocean-going liquified CO2 (LCO2) carrier. Nihon Shipyard is pursuing this project with the aim of completing construction of the vessel from 2027 onwards.Demand for LCO2 carriers is expected to grow in the future as a means to transport large volumes of CO2 safely for CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) projects, in which captured CO2 is stably stored underground.

Japan's NYK Line has recently taken delivery of the LNG-fueled pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Sweet Pea Leader at Tadotsu Shipyard Co., Ltd., a member of the Imabari Shipbuilding Group. This is NYK's seventh LNG-fueled PCTC, with NYK planning to introduce a total of 20 new LNG-fueled PCTCs by 2028 as a bridge-solution to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) by 2050 for the NYK Group's oceangoing businesses."Like NYK's other LNG-fueled PCTCs, the vessel was named…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding received orders from Imabari Shipbuilding for 12 units of its Fuel Gas Supply System (FGSS), a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel gas supply system for high-pressure dual-fuel marine engines. The equipment for 9 LNG-fueled car carriers and 3 LNG-fueled bulk carriers to be built by Imabari Shipbuilding Group will be continuously delivered from spring 2024.The FGSS ordered by Imabari Shipbuilding feature an optimized cargo space layout utilizing a modular design for exceptional space-saving and maintenance access…

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries - Engine & Machinery has announced that it recently signed a contract for 16 sets of HiMSEN methanol dual-fuel engines (8H32DF-LM) and selective catalytic reduction systems with Tsuneishi Shipbuilding in Japan.The engines are for four vessels which will be built at the Tsuneishi Zhoushan Shipyard in China, and the engines will be delivered to the shipyard starting in January 2025.Earlier this year, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries - Engine & Machinery signed…

NAVTOR secured an agreement with Shoei Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., one of Japan’s largest shipowners and managers, to deliver the NavFleet application across itsfleet of managed vessels. Shoei Kisen, a part of Imabari Shipbuilding, Japan’s largest shipbuilder, will introduce NavFleet to the existing NAVTOR digital ecosystem onboard its bulk carriers and container ships. This integrated system includes the NavStation digital chart table software (with automated Passage Planning), NavBox…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has received an order from Imabari Shipbuilding for two LNG fuel gas supply systems (FGSS) for high-pressure dual-fuel marine engines.The units are for two LNG-fueled bulk carriers to be built by Imabari Shipbuilding which will be continuously delivered with LNG fuel tanks from summer 2025.The FGSSs ordered feature a modular, optimized cargo space layout that provides exceptional space-saving and maintenance access and a proprietary control system that can be customized according to customer needs…

Nova Marine Carriers group of Lugano, which is headed by the Bolfo Gozzi and Romeo families, announced the acquisition of two new ships,  finalizing the purchase in Japan of the (renamed) Sider Ambos, a 20,000 dwt bulk carrier, built in 2017, particularly suited to the steel and gypsum trades in which Nova Marine is engaged.A few days later a second 38,000 dwt vessel also joined the fleet. Built in 2012 by Imabari shipbuilding (and still in Japan) this ship has been renamed Sider Pera and will also operate under the cooperation agreement with the Greek Halkidon group.

Japanese shipping major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has decided to expand its fleet with the additional five newbuilding dual-fueled Capesize bulkers, which can burn either LNG or conventional marine fuel oil.Two of the vessels will be ordered to Nihon Shipyard and built by Imabari Shipbuilding, while there remaining three will be built by Chinese CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding.The vessels are slated for delivery from 2026 to 2027, according to MOL. Including these five vessels, MOL will add a total of 13 LNG-fueled Capesize bulkers in their fleet.

Imabari Shipbuilding will install a MAN B&W 7S60ME-Ammonia engine with SCR in connection with the construction of a 200,000 dwt bulk carrier for a joint venture between K Line, NS United and Itochu Corporation.The business represents one of the first projects for MAN Energy Solutions’ ammonia-powered engine that is currently under development in Denmark. MITSUI E&S will build the engine in Japan.Bjarne Foldager – Country Manager, Denmark – MAN Energy Solutions, said: “The interest in this revolutionary engine had been overwhelming…