AsiaDry CargoShipyards

Oshima plans cape entrance

World shipping is set to get a new capesize builder. Oshima Shipbuilding is about to take over Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ giant Koyagi Plant in Nagasaki, a deal first hatched in late 2019. Yesterday at a press conference in Tokyo, top management at Oshima, a yard renowned for its smaller dry bulk output, outlined how they intend to use their new acquisition.

The Koyagi dock will focus on dry bulk carriers, Oshima’s specialty, but is likely to see a jump up in size to capes. Oshima will also look at manufacturing LNG fuel tanks at its newly acquired yard, which it is set to finally take over in the next couple of months.

Mitsubishi Heavy has been scaling back its commercial shipbuilding operations in recent years. Its Koyagi facility features one of the biggest drydocks in Japan.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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