In-depth | SHIPBUILDING
Hanjin Heavy plans for the future following yard dispute
Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) looks to restructure its business following the settlement of a longstanding labour dispute.
foreign workers in the Philippines. A final settlement negotiated with the yard management and signed on 10 November focused on the re-employment of 94 workers within one year and financial aid for laid off workers in the meantime, and the withdrawal of charges against both parties. Altogether a total of 94 staff, mainly
K
welders, will be laid off and following the successful conclusion to those negotiations HHI can now move on with its plans to restructure and invest in the yard. Repairs and improved facilities
the dock and quay wall will be made following the corporate restructuring through a labour-management consensus, it is hoped that the yard will emerge as a builder of high-value added vessels such as special purpose vessels (SPV) and offshore plant, says HHIC. No sooner had consensus been reached
than the Yeoungdo yard accelerated its realignment and upgrade to enhance its market competitiveness. HHIC has launched a modernisation project for its Yeongdo yard starting with a thorough inspection of the entire shipyard and related facilities. In addition, HHIC is
The Korean yard at Yeongdo will diversify into specialist, high-spec, vessels. to
reviewing the replacement of less efficient cranes with new ones. Since its establishment as Korea’s first
steel shipbuilder in 1937, HHIC has played a pivotal role in building high-tech vessels (eg drilling rigs, membrane LNG carriers, cable ships, post-panamax container vessels, dive support vessels, ice breakers, etc.) and is now developing new markets. The HHIC-Subic Shipyard plans to
maintain its focus on ultra large & very large container carriers, tankers and bulk carriers for the time being. When technology and productivity levels are high enough, it may start to build more valuable vessels including Q-max LNG
HHIC’s Subic yard will continue to build standard large vessels for the bulk, tanker and container markets.
carriers, VLGC, offshore plant, drill ships and FPSOs. Currently HHIC’s Subic yard has orders
for 44 vessels in total; 20 container ships, 20 bulkers and four tankers. However, with the worldwide market
in crisis since 2008 and the decline of the shipbuilding industry as a result of this banking crisis HHIC will focus its Korean operations on high-value vessels and special ships with a view to overcoming the decrease in shipbuilding activity. Te Yeongdo yard is now planning to
increase its own market competitiveness through the overall realignment into more effective production system, including developments of new technologies and production methods, to revitalise construction processes. In addition, the R&D centre in Jungang-
dong, Busan will focus on developing new designs and technologies in the maritime sector and play a key role in shortening manufacturing lead times thereby enhancing competitiveness by applying those innovative engineering methods to the manufacturing and construction process. In aiming to promote its mid and long-term
vision, which includes business diversification, HHIC plans to make great strides into the future with the establishment of stable global manufacturing systems. NA
20 The Naval Architect January 2012
orean unions at HHIC’s Yeoungdo yard were concerned that their jobs would be lost to
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60