Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) is planning to construct LNG carriers abroad in an effort to lower costs and take a market share from rivaling Korean companies.
With present currency levels, the company finds its Chinese ventures to be more cost competitive than Korean shipyards, Bloomberg reports.
Akio Murakami, head of Kawasaki Heavy’s shipbuilding and offshore division said: “Our Chinese venture, Nacks, has built a variety of vessels so far, and LNG and LPG carriers are the only area that has yet to be handled.”
He also stated that the company expects many orders once it delivers first good contracts and vessels.
The company estimates that the cost at its Chinese facilities are 20 percent lower than Korean yards.
Chinese venture has been building large-sized bulkers and very large crude carriers with LNG carriers only being constructed in Sakaide, Japan, and the company is planning to change that.
[mappress] LNG World News Staff, June 25, 2014