Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) has announced the establishment of two new groups at its Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works' Koyagi Plant.
One group will undertake ship construction, while the other will manufacture hull blocks.
MHI has decided to transfer its construction operations for large-size commercial ships in the Nagasaki district to the new firms. The company will separate cruise ship construction from its commercial ship business and operate as an engineering business under a new organisation to be launched within the Commercial Aviation and Transportation Systems business domain.
Focus on LNG carriers
The group responsible for ship construction will be lunched as a company succeeding to MHI Ship & Ocean Engineering Co. Ltd., an MHI group company, that will undertake sales, engineering, procurement, manufacture, construction and repair services.
New ship construction operations will focus on LNG and LPG carriers. MHI aims to strengthen cost competitiveness in the following ways:
- By streamlining production through continuous construction of gas carriers.
- By enhancing efficiency through the development of a more compact organisation.
- By streamlining administrative processes within a more dynamic business structure.
The hull block manufacturing company will initially get under way in the form of a preparatory company, followed by an absorption-type split. The new entity will specialise in large-scale hull blocks and will pursue enhanced productivity primarily by continuous construction of such blocks and refurbishing of its physical plant.
Adapted from press release by Callum O'Reilly