The country plans to double annual ship production, bringing it to 18 million tons
Tokyo – Japan’s shipbuilding capacity is set to grow after decades of decline in its global market share. The country plans to double annual ship production, bringing it to 18 million tons, with an expansion plan promoted directly by the government. This was stated by Shin Ueda, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, speaking at the TradeWinds Shipowners forum in Tokyo. No specific timeline was given for achieving the goal, but the project was presented as a strategic opportunity to revitalize a declining sector, in a geopolitical context where the United States seeks to reduce China’s dominance in the maritime market. “This is a step forward not only for the Japanese shipbuilding industry, but also for the ship components industry,” Ueda said. According to the manager, the revival of the sector will come through a combination of key strategies: automation, technological investments, human resource development, market expansion and continuous innovation. The plan has the full support of the Japanese Shipowners’ Association.
