Shanghai aims to have world's largest shipyard

Shanghai aims to have world’s largest shipyard

China's largest shipbuilding company, China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC), has begun construction on a new shipyard north of Shanghai. The company claims that the shipyard, located on Changxing island in the Yangtze river, will be the world's largest once it is completed in 2015. During the first phase of the project, CSSC subsidiary Jiangnan Shipyard will expand its shipbuilding capacity from the current 800'000 dwt a year to 4.5 million dwt by 2010. The yard's first ship is expected to be delivered by 2009. The second phase calls for CSSC's other subsidiaries, such as Hudong and Waigaoqiao, to add more yards along Changxing island's eight-kilometer coastline. By 2015, CSCC is expected to have an annual capacity of 8 million dwt, half of China's current production capacity. The 8 million dwt capacity would make Changxing the world's largest shipyard by today's standards. The yard will increase Chinese production of high-tech and high-value-added ships, including liquefied natural gas carriers and oil supertankers. Apart from new ship construction, Jiangnan Shipyard has specific divisions specializing in manufacturing pressurized tanks for LNG carriers; large steel structures for civil engineering; a variety of mechanical and electrical equipment; non-standard equipment; pressure containers; and port machinery.