New Shipyard Planning

The Ariake Yard which is one of eight yards and works belonging to Hitachi Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Ltd. is a newly constructed shipyard to build large vessels up to VLCC and ULCC.The fundamental policy on the planning of the yard is to realize the most modern shipyard for building large vessels with high productivity, well in harmony with the community and the natural environment where the yard is situated.Technical studies and investigations were made as part of the planning under the policy, on more than seventy kinds of subjects.The shipyard planning began in 1969 and the construction of the yard completed in Oct. 1974, followed by the delivery of a D. W. 235, 000 tonner as the first VLCC built at the yard in Dec. 1974.The results obtained through the technical studies and investigations are reported in this paper.