It is full steam ahead for city shipping

IN 2007, China overtook Japan as the world's second-biggest shipbuilder. The next target is to eclipse South Korea and be No. 1.

This lofty but highly achievable aim was boosted yesterday as Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard, fittingly celebrating its 143rd anniversary as the country oldest shipbuilder, completed its relocation to make way for World Expo 2010.

The first phase of building at the new yard on Changxing Island at the mouth of the Yangtze River has been finished. It is China's largest and most advanced shipyard and set to become the world's most productive single facility.

The first-phase project, which cost about 16 billion yuan (US$2.31 billion) and stretches 3.8 kilometers along the coastline, is composed of seven large cranes, three ship-building lines and four docks with annual ship-building capacity of 4.5 million deadweight tons.

Completion of phase one was six months ahead of schedule.

Chen Xiaojin, president of China State Shipbuilding Corp, said the second phase is expected to start next year and output should begin in 2012. Jiangnan Shipyard is a subsidiary of CSSC.

"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 create ship-building capacity for another 3.5 million DWT, bringing the total to 8 million DWT.

The Changxing base is expected to have an annual capacity of 12 million DWT by 2015 and become the world's biggest.

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.

The Shanghai government aims to boost the city's development in shipbuilding and other related sectors.