On 18 September 2024, NYK Line and OONO DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD., based in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, announced their agreement to jointly explore a domestic ship recycling business. The venture will focus on dismantling ships and large marine structures while recycling materials such as steel scrap.
(Text by Hiro Yamamoto)
Photo courtesy=NYK, OONO development,
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at NYK Line’s headquarters on the same day. Present at the ceremony were Hitoshi Nagasawa, Chairman of the Board, and Takaya Soga, President of NYK Line, alongside Teruo Ohno, Chairman, and Yuji Yamashita, President of OONO DEVELOPMENT.
The dismantling work will be carried out at Japan’s only dry dock capable of handling large ocean-going vessels, located in Chita City, Aichi Prefecture, and owned by OONO DEVELOPMENT. The process will utilize state-of-the-art onshore dismantling techniques and waste management systems, prioritizing environmental protection and worker safety. The project aims to promote both steel resource recycling and decarbonization.
Back in March 2021, IHI Corporation announced that it was in negotiations to sell approximately 400,000 square meters of land at its Aichi Works in Chita City to OONO DEVELOPMENT by September 2021. The Aichi Works, spanning 700,000 square meters, ceased production in November 2018.
The key points of the ship recycling business, as outlined by the two companies, are as follows:
■Overview of Domestic Ship Recycling Business
〆Business Areas
・Procurement of dismantling vessels
・Dismantling of vessels
・Sale of valuable resources (steel scrap, used marine equipment, etc.)
・Domestic transportation of steel scrap
・Final disposal of toxic substances, etc., such as detoxification and landfill
〆forte
Environmentally friendly and efficient demolition with no marine spills of oil or other harmful substances
・A large demolition site of 39 hectares
・The dry dock is one of the largest in Japan (810m depth x 92m wide x 14.3m height) and can dismantle two large ocean-going vessels simultaneously.
・The unique dry-dock method* incorporates state-of-the-art land-based demolition and waste disposal methods, ensuring safety and efficiency.
・A new high-efficiency incineration power generation facility will be constructed on the site to complete the treatment of industrial waste.
・Both a mooring quay and a coastal quay are installed, allowing for the mooring of vessels and the removal of scrap iron and other valuable materials on the site.
〆日本郵船（NYK Line）とオオノ開發（OONO DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.、本社：愛媛県松山市）は、2024年9月18日、国内で船舶や大型海洋建造物を解体し、鉄スクラップなどのリサイクルを行う「船舶リサイクル事業」の共同検討に合意したと発表した。
同日に、日本郵船本社で両社による覚書の締結式が行われ、日本郵船からは取締役会長の長澤仁志（Hitoshi Nagasawa）と代表取締役社長の曽我貴也（Takaya Soga）、オオノ開發からは代表取締役会長の大野照旺（Teruo Ohno）と代表取締役社長の山下裕二（Yuji Yamashita）が出席した。
船舶の解体工事は、オオノ開發が愛知県知多市に所有する、大型外航船にも対応可能な国内唯一のドライドックで実施される。船舶解体は、最新鋭の陸上解体および廃棄物処理を取り入れた独自の手法で行い、環境保護および労働安全に配慮しつつ、鉄鋼資源の循環および脱炭素化を推進する。