日本「今治造船」強化国内造船業

A few weeks ago the Asahi News on-line reported the following:

最大手今治造船、国内生産にこだわり　提携で活路

山村哲史

2014年7月14日23時30分

　船の建造量が国内最大の今治造船（愛媛県今治市）は１４日、今ある国内工場の生産性を高めて成長を追う事業方針を表明した。造船業界が縮小する中で着々と増やしてきた瀬戸内海の工場群を生かし、ほかの大手との提携で浮き沈みの激しい世界市場に挑む戦略だ。

　日本の船の建造量は、世界で中国、韓国に次いで３位。一部では人件費の安い海外への移転も進む。今治造船の檜垣幸人社長はこの日、東京都内での記者会見で「（コスト削減による）数％のメリットのために出て行くのか。適切な建造量さえ持っていれば、負けることはないのでは」と国内へのこだわりを見せた。

　今治造船は１９８０～００年代に、経営難の同業を相次いで傘下におさめてきた。いずれも造船産業が集まる瀬戸内で、様々な種類の船を低コストで造る力を蓄えてきた。今年末には、海外生産に積極的な常石造船（広島県福山市）から、丸亀事業本部に近い多度津工場（香川県多度津町）を取得し、能力を強化する。

　造船業界は世界的に生産能力が余っている。今よりも規模を大きくして勝ち残ろうとする企業も多い。１３年１月にＩＨＩとＪＦＥホールディングスの傘下の造船会社が合併して、業界２位の建造量になるジャパンマリンユナイテッドが発足。今年５月には、名村造船所と佐世保重工業が経営統合を決め、１０月に業界３位の新会社ができる。

　だが、檜垣社長は「これ以上のＭ＆Ａ（合併・買収）となると、かなりのシェアになる。得意な船の種類ごとにスクラムを組むのがいい」と話した。

　それが三菱重工業との提携だ。シェールガスの輸送などで需要が増えそうな液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）運搬船では、１３年４月に共同出資の設計・販売会社「ＭＩ　ＬＮＧカンパニー」を設立。１３年１２月には、海洋開発に強みを持つブラジルの造船大手に三菱重工などと出資し、ノウハウを取り込もうとしている。（山村哲史）

(試譯文)

On the 14^th (July) the Imabari shipbuilding (Imabari-city, Ehime), which had the biggest ship construction capacity in the country, announced a business plan which followed the growth caused by the increase in productivity of existing domestic shipbuilding plants. While the shipbuilding industry was shrinking, by taking advantage of the shipbuilding groups at the Seto Inland Sea which had been increasing steadily, Imabari would tie-up with other major companies as a strategy to challenge the intense ups and downs in the world market.

   The amount of ship built in Japan was at the 3rd place ranking next to China and South Korea in the world. Part of it had moved overseas where labor cost was cheap. President Yukito Higaki of the Imabari shipbuilding at a press conference at Tokyo metropolitan area on that day showed a commitment to the country in saying that "Do we move away for the merit of several percent (in cost reduction)? If we can maintain a suitable amount of construction we will not lose".

The Imabari shipbuilding in the 1980s - 2000s had successively sheltered companies in the same trade that had financial difficulties. All had conserved the power which could build various kinds of ships at a low cost in Setouchi in which shipbuilding industries had gathered together. At end of this year, the Tadotsu factory (Tadotsu-cho, Kagawa) near the Marugame business headquarters would be acquired from the Tsuneishi shipbuilding (Fukuyama-shi, Hiroshima) which had been active in overseas production, thus Imabari’s capability was strengthened.

As for the shipbuilding industry, globally there was excessive production capacity. There were also many companies which would be enlarged to become bigger than the present size and tried to remain undefeated. IHI and a subsidiary shipbuilding company of the JFE Holdings had merged in January 2013; the Japan Marine United would be inaugurated and would have a construction capacity 2nd in the industry. Namura Shipbuilding and Sasebo Heavy Industries opted for merging operations in May this year, and this new company would be at the 3rd place in the industry in October.

But President Higaki said "the M&A (merger and acquisition) up to now have created big shareholdings. To team up arm-in-arm for different kinds of favorite ships is good".

There was a tie-up with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. For the liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport ship, the demand was likely to increase due to the transportation of shale gas etc. A joint investment company of design and sales the "MI LNG company" was established in April 2013. In December 2013, a major shipbuilding company in Brazil which was strong at ocean development was financed by the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry etc., and was trying to take in the know-how.

So Japan is keen in keeping a leading role in ship building globally.