History

Oshima Coal Mine of Matsushima Tanko Co., Ltd. opened.

Opening of coal mine triggered development of Oshima Island of agriculture and fishing.

Establishment of Oshima Town.

The island bacame “Oshima Town” with the population of 14,000.

Maximum population recorded.

Population of the island reached maximum of 19,453 as coal mining industry prospered, but coal industry started to decline due to the rise of petroleum in the early 1960’s.

Announcement of building new shipyard by Osaka Shipyard.

President of Osaka Shipyard (current Daizo Corporation) who was operating business in Osaka announced to build a new shipyard to prepare for future expansion.

Closure of coal mine.

Coal mine in Oshima was closed down due to worldwide energy shift from coal to petroleum, and Oshima town became depopulated. The population of Oshima town dropped sharply.

Year 1970 (just after closure of coal mine) ・・・11,197
Year 1972 :・・・5,942

Start attracting enterprises.

Nagasaki Prefecture in cooperation with Oshima Town started activities to attract new industry that would operate business in Oshima.

Start inviting Osaka Shipyard.

Nagasaki Prefecture and Oshima Town started inviting Osaka Shipyard. In response to their invitation, Osaka Shipyard dispatched feasibility study team to Oshima in the same year.

Approval for building a new shipyard.

Osaka Shipyard applied for building a new shipyard to government authority in May and was granted approval in July.

Groundbreaking ceremony at Oshima Island.

Establishment of Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. was jointly established by Osaka Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Sumitomo Corporation. It was headquartered at Oshima Town. At the time of foundation, basic direction was aiming to build oil tankers.

The founder, Kageki Minami, gave following directions to secure the possibility for future expansion.

1. Secure large ground. Keep excess land at the center of the ground.
2. Make dock size large and secure enough space at dockside and dockhead.
3. Factory buildings should be independently distributed and as tall as possible.

Consequently,

1. The secured ground was 6 times as wide as Osaka Shipyard. Room for future expansion was secured at the center of the ground and made flow of building process simple.
2. Constructed dock was as large as 535m long and 80m wide. Vast assembly yard was secured not only at dockside but also at dockhead.
3. Factory buildings were independently distributed to accommodate build of different types of ships other than tanker. They were built tall, considering changes in the method of shipbuilding in the future.

Occurrence of oil crisis

Oshima Shipyard started with steel cutting

A town of coal mine revived as a town of shipbuilding.

Launching of first ship

Recession on shipbuilding industry became notable.

Due to worldwide recession on shipbuilding industry, contracted tanker was canceled just after establishment of the business. Oshima Shipyard was forced to trim down the operation before it gets full-scale.

Disadvantageous change of labor condition.

Conducted wage cut, extension of annual prescribed working hours, suspension of company-subsidized lunch, etc.

First facility disposal under Government policy.

As a countermeasure to recession on shipbuilding industry, by the government authority announcement, reduction of supply capacity by joint disposal of building facilities across entire shipbuilding industry was conducted.

Shozo Doi assumed office of president of the company.

Reversion of labor condition.

Opening of Seiun-Gakush.

Tutoring school, “Seiun-Gakusha”, was opened for children of shipyard employees and local residents for their academic development.

Foundation of Oshima Island Hotel.

Oshima Island Hotel was founded to promote regional development. It served as a guest house for shipyard customers as well as a base for cultural and resort activities in the remote island.

Establishment of Oshima Shuzou Co., Ltd.

Oshima Shuzou Co., Ltd was established with joint capital contribution by local government and local brewing company in order to develop reginal industry.

Temporary dispatch of employees started.

In order to avoid lay-offs at the time of recession, Oshima Shipyard dispatched employees as temporary worker to other companies including car industry, such as Denso Corporation, Hino Motors, Suzuki Motor Corporation and Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd, etc. The duration was as long as 3 years and 7 months and the total number was 6,459, 60% of all employees experienced this

Disadvantageous change of labor condition.

Due to unpredictable shipbuilding market, reduction of training, wage cut, reduction of annual bonus payment to one month equivalent, and reduction of overtime premium rate was carried out.

Naming ceremony for 100th ship.

Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd was newly established through capital reduction and write-off of loss in the past in order to improve business foundation.

Started tomato cultivation.

In order to make better use of unused land in the island and to create employment, Oshima Shipyard started growing tomatoes, which are still specialty of Oshima Island.

Second facility disposal by the Government policy.

Facility disposal was again required by the government so as to reduce supply capacity. Osaka Shipyard, a parent company, closed its shipbuilding business and decided to preserve Oshima Shipyard.

Restoration of labor condition.

Excluding extension of prescribed working hours.

Sho Minami became president.

Restoration of labor condition.

All the undercut of labor condition since 1986 was restored.

Setting principle: “Concentration on Bulk Carriers”.

Oshima Shipyard aimed to increase the number of ships to be built by focusing to bulk carriers, as its result, build high quality ships with low cost under concentration effect.

The first Oshima Triathron.

As a part of contribution to the local community, Oshima Shipyard has been supporting the event since the first time until now as special supporter. It has now become an event attracting a few hundred participants from in and outside of the region.

Declaration of the state of emergency and fly of Z flag.

Under forecasted appreciation of the yen against US dollar of more than 80 yen, Oshima Shipyard declared state of emergency and flew Z flag.

Visit of Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia to Oshima Shipyard.

Prime Minister Mahathir took an interest in Oshima Shipyard, who won a contract in a competition against Hyundai Heavy Industry of Korea and visited Oshima to attend a naming ceremony.

Lowered Z flag and flew new symbol flag

In the new year, Oshima Shipyard lowered Z flag which had been flown for 3 years to declare state of emergency, and flew “Ace Flag”.

Meaning of Ace Flag

1. Anchor
   Anchored at the local community and wish the development of core business.
2. Tomato
   Red tomato covering Oshima Island like a prairie fire, aiming for development of second and third business domains and coexistence with local community.
3. Pensée
   Represents sincere speech and action of each, not attached to old customs and be cheerful, be strong, be positive and be gentle to challenge everything.
4. Color
   Red :the Sun and stars, future and hope.
   Green : Mountain forest and plain field, safety and fertility.
   Blue : Sky and sea, dreams and cosmos.

Start recruiting female employees.

Anticipating women’s increased participation in the workplace, Oshima Shipyard recruited 4 female technicians and installed facilities for women such as rest rooms and shower in the factory.

Inauguration of Oshima Bridge (length 1095m), which made Oshima “To a part of peninsula from remote island”.

King Harald V of Norway paid official visit to Oshima Shipyard.

King Harald V enjoyed site tour at assembly factory guided by our president Sho Minami and attended keel laying ceremony of a ship ordered by Norwegian ship owner. He shared his impression, “This is a clean and perfect shipyard.”

Agreement with the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyusyu University regarding comprehensive collaboration.

Tadashi Nakagawa became president.

Started training at Toyota Motor Corporation Operations Management Consulting Division.

Oshima shipyard started a program that dispatches its staff to Toyota Motor Corporation. They learn Toyota Production System for two years and inport the best practice of automobile industry into shipbuilding industry.

Establishment of Daizo Tec Co., Ltd.

As measures against decreasing number of engineers in Japan, Oshima Shipyard established Daizo Tec Co., Ltd. in Hanoi, Vietnam to secure outstanding design engineers. Now it has more than 100 employees actively working as a member of Oshima Shipyard group.

Completed land reclamation of reserved area and NO.3 wharf.

Oshima Shiypard reclaimed the area which was reserved for future expansion since the launch of the shipyard and established the infrastructure for large number production.

Launch of No.1 1200 ton goliath crane.

In addition to existing two 300 ton goliath crane, 1200 ton goliath crane was installed. As a result, the dock has three goliath cranes in total.

Z flag was flown again.

In response to critical situation of sharp rise in material cost, Oshima Shipyard flew Z flag again and started its effort to reduce labor, energy and resources.

Launch of “Wind Challenger Project”, development of wind propulsion vessel, with the University of Tokyo and shipping companies.

Awarded by Director of Nagasaki Labor Bureau on promoting women’s participation in the company.

Hiroshi Minami became president.

Establishment of IKNOW Machinery Co., Ltd.

Following the bankruptcy of a ship machinery company in Sasebo, Oshima Shipyard took over its business. With capital contribution from 10 companies in shipping and shipbuilding industries, Oshima Shipyard injected its production know-how into it to be a self-sustaining business, aiming to contribute to the local community and shipping industry.

Awarded by the governor of Nagasaki Prefecture on child-rearing support.

Oshima Shipyard was awarded for its proactive effort in promoting work and child-rearing balance, enabling female employees to work with peace of mind.

Delivery of 500th ship

Opening of Oslo office.

Oshima Shipyard started promoting collaborative study with DNVGL and support activity for marketing and designing.

Closing of Oshima Shipyard’s guest house Olive Bay Hotel.

Opening of Oshima Shipyard’s guest house Olive Bay Hotel.

Taking over the site of Oshima Island Hotel, Olive Bay Hotel was constructed as a new guest house of Oshima Shipyard. It was designed by globally known architecture, Kengo Kuma.

Awarded “Ship of the Year”.

700th ship delivered in July 2012 was awarded “Ship of the Year 2012”, an award bestowed to the most outstanding ship every year. This is the first ship equipped with epoch-making technology, air lubrication system.

Opening of the Advanced Technology Innovation Center.

Oshima Shipyard installed circulating water tank which enables test in flowing water in the shipyard to speed up the development of energy saving hull forms and devices.

Opened tutoring school “Chisho-kan Seiun-Gakusha”.

In order to overcome the geographic handicap, Oshima Shipyard reopened tutoring school “Seiun-Gakusha”to support education of children in Oshima island. Making use of internet technology realized the same education level as that of big cities.

Launch of No.2 1200 ton goliath crane.

As a result, the dock has two 1200 ton cranes and two 300 ton cranes, total 4 cranes in the dock.

Nobuyuki Minami became president.

Delivery of 700th ship.

Delivery of 800th ship.

Eiichi Hiraga became president.

Completion of e-Oshima.

Aiming for zero emission of greenhouse gas such as CO2 and air pollutants such as NOx and Sox, Oshima Shipbuilding developed all-electric-battery-driven ferry boat “E/V e-Oshima”. The ship was awarded “Good Design Award 2019”.