Chinas oldest shipyard relocates

China’s oldest shipbuilder, Shanghai?s Jiangnan Shipyard, has moved recently to a new home to make room for World Expo 2010. The shipbuilder, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp. (CSSC), moved from its Huangpu River site in Shanghai to Changxing Island on the mouth of the Yangtze River, which is set to become the world’s largest shipyard. Work on the 16-billion Yuan ($2.3 billion) new shipyard started in 2005 and the first phase of the project has now been completed six months ahead of schedule. With a 3.8 kilometres foreshore, the first phase comprises seven large cranes, three ship-building lines and four docks with an annual capacity of 4.5 million DWT.

Chen Xiaojin, president of CSSC, said the second phase is expected to start next year and production should begin in 2012. “No matter what the capital expenditure, equipment or technological know-how, phase two will be even better than phase one,” Chen said.

The construction of phase two will add another 3.5 million DWT, bringing the total shipbuilding output to 8 million DWT. The Changxing base is expected to have an annual capacity of 12 million DWT by 2015 and aims to be the world’s biggest shipbuilding complex.

To date, the Changxing base has won orders to build more than 100 ships with combined capacity of more than 14 million DWT to be delivered by 2011.