Japan’s heyday in shipbuilding passed at the turn of the century, but in one key segment it still has a resounding market leader.
Latest data from Alphaliner shows that Imabari has the world’s largest orderbook for containerships. Imabari has 42 boxships on order, with an average size of 11,950 teu, totalling 501,894 teu. It is the only Japanese company in the top 10 list of boxship builders compiled by Alphaliner.
Imabari’s most recent orders came from sister firm Shoei Kisen, which last month ordered five 12,000 teu ships for long term charter to Taiwan’s Yang Ming.
In second place is Samsung Heavy Industries from South Korea with 19 ships totalling 349,000 teu on its books with another Korean yard, Hyundai Heavy Industries, in third.
