Why are ships getting so big?January 29th 17:17
A gigantic ship that locals in Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture said was a place where ``
unbelievable things are being built,'' set sail for the world at the end of 2023.
The height is equivalent to a 25-story building, the total length is 400 meters, and the number of containers that can be loaded is 24,000. It is one of the world's largest "mega container ships".
Behind the construction of such a huge ship are global trends in the maritime industry and a sense of crisis among Japanese companies.
(Matsuyama Broadcasting Station Imabari branch reporter Kyo Kimura)
Bigger than the battleship Yamato
A dark pink container ship moored at a shipyard in Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture.
It's not just the appearance that makes it stand out.
Standing in front of you, you will see a towering wall.
The distance from the bottom of the ship to the highest point is over 70 meters, which is equivalent to a 25-story building, and I was stunned as I climbed up.
Sailors use the elevator to move around the ship.
The total length is approximately 400 meters.
"Battleship Yamato" is about 260 meters long.
Because of its size, it became a hot topic in the local area, with people saying, ``Something incredible has been built.''
One of the world's largest voyages of no return
The ship's loading capacity is a maximum of 24,000 20-foot containers (20 feet = approx. 2.4 m x approx. 6 m x approx. 2.5 m).
(*The actual number of containers that can be loaded is less than this)
The maximum number of containers to date has been over 20,000, making it one of the largest in the world.
It is the largest ship that can enter any port in the world.
There are no ports in Japan, so once you set sail, you will never be able to return home.
When passing through the Kurushima Strait in the Seto Inland Sea, the Shimanami Kaido must be filled with a large amount of seawater (ballast water) to lower the draft, the depth from the sea surface to the bottom of the ship, and fold down the radar mast at the top of the ship. It was designed with such tight calculations that it got stuck on the bridge and couldn't pass.
Unprecedented “all-Japan” construction
A total of six ships of the same type were built for this huge container ship.
The ship owner, who orders and owns the ship, is a group company of Imabari Shipbuilding, Japan's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Imabari City.
It will be operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE).
This is a new company established in 2017 with investment from three major Japanese shipping companies.
The ship was built by Imabari Shipbuilding, Japan Marine United (JMU), the industry's second-largest company, and a company jointly established by the two companies in 2021.
It can be said that it is a ship that is built and operated by all the main players in Japan's maritime industry, so to speak.
Yukito Higaki, president of Imabari Shipbuilding, said at a press conference in July 2023, ``This container ship business was the reason we established a company with Japan Marine United, the second largest company in the industry.We are steadily increasing the number of joint designs and orders we receive. We hope to continue to lead the Japanese shipbuilding industry."
Enlargement is a global trend
An unusual collaboration between the 1st and 2nd place in the country.
Behind this is a global trend in the shipping industry.
In fact, increasing the size of ships is now a global trend.
The carrying capacity of ships built by Imabari Shipbuilding has nearly quadrupled in the past 20 years.
The reason is the persistent competition to reduce transportation costs.
This is because larger ships can carry more containers at once, lowering the transportation cost per container.
Hiroyoshi Tsujii, Managing Director of ONE, which operates container ships, points out:
ONE Managing Director Hiroki Tsujii ``
If we don't make them larger, we will be less cost competitive and will not be able to compete with overseas shipping companies. One of the main reasons for the timing of this order is that ports are beginning to open for entry."
Demanding environmental response
One of the reasons why transport efficiency is being improved by increasing size is in response to environmental regulations.
In July 2023, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, adopted a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships sailing around the world to net zero by around 2050.
According to the IMO, approximately 90% of world trade is carried by ships, and international shipping accounts for nearly 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Furthermore, starting in 2024, new regulations for the shipping industry established by the European Union will be introduced.
Ships (of 5,000 tons or more) that call at a port or berth within the EU will be required to purchase "emission allowances" according to their carbon dioxide emissions.
If carbon dioxide emissions are not reduced in the future, it is expected to become a major burden, and compliance with environmental regulations has become an urgent issue for the world's shipbuilding and shipping industries.
Sense of crisis in a former shipbuilding powerhouse
Another factor behind the realization of this "all-Japan" corporate collaboration is the sense of crisis that Japanese companies face.
Japan's shipbuilding industry was once the world's number one, but in the 2000s it was surpassed by China and South Korea, which invested huge sums of money as part of their national policy.
In 2022, Japan's global share of commercial ship construction will be in the 17% range, more than 10 points behind the second-place South Korea.
The idea was to show the world the presence of Japan's shipbuilding and shipping industry by building a huge ship.
To this end, there is a belief that it is necessary to combine the technological capabilities of each company.
Six giant container ships were built as a symbol of this cooperation.
Fumi Tosho, Plant Manager of Imabari Shipbuilding's Saijo Plant, which was involved in the construction of the giant ship, says the following.
Fumi Tosho, Factory Manager, Imabari Shipbuilding Saijo Factory
: ``Until a few years ago, we were unable to build mega container ships like this one in Japan, but from now on, we will work hard to supply multiple mega container ships, and we hope to be able to build them globally. As shipbuilding professionals, we are proud to be able to build a ship like this, which even we consider to be truly large.''
The crystallization of technological strength
The container ships built in this way are infused with Japan's high technological capabilities.
The main feature is that it reduces water and wind resistance.
The tip of the ship is as slim as possible.
The hull is coated with a special paint to reduce water resistance.
(62,000 20kg cans of paint were used) The ship's
design also optimizes the flow of energy from the bow, stern, rudder, and engine to the propeller.
By reducing the amount of gas emitted, it is said that 24,000 containers can be transported using the same energy as 20,000.
As ships get larger, they consume more heavy oil, but the aim is to use this technology to reduce emissions per container.
ONE Managing Director Hiroki Tsujii: ``
This ship has good performance, so I think it has the potential to continue running for more than 20 years.I think the world will change in many ways in 20 years, but this ship... I want to contribute to the economy and the environment by running ships.”
What will happen to the “All Japan” challenge?
You can feel the determination of the shipbuilding and shipping industry to take on the challenge of bringing together famous Japanese companies.
The last ship, ``ONE INTELLIGENCE,'' departed on December 23rd, and all six ships were now at sea.
And on January 14th this year, it sailed with 22,202 containers, setting the world's largest cargo capacity as the number of containers actually loaded on a ship. (*As of the time of interview)
Will it be a catalyst for overcoming the fierce competition to cut costs and the turbulent waves of environmental regulations?
Although it will never return to Japan, the course of Japanese companies' challenges will depend on the fate of the giant ship's voyage.
(Broadcast on “Himepon!” on December 22, 2023)
Matsuyama Broadcasting Station Imabari bureau reporter
Kyo Kimura Joined the station in
2020
Worked at the Imabari bureau from 2022, in charge of reporting on regional economies such as the maritime industry and towel industry