PH shipbuilding: Rising from skilled hands to global competitiveness

Last week, President Marcos proclaimed at the inauguration of the HD Hyundai Shipyard in Subic, Zambales, that aside from having talented seafarers, the Philippines is back on track toward reviving its shipbuilding industry and raising its caliber to world class competitiveness. Indeed, the country's lofty aspirations must reach beyond its vaunted strength in skilled labor.

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The Chief Executive recalled that from 2014 to 2018, the Philippines had been producing up to two million gross tons of ships annually, before the industry's momentum slowed in 2019. As he welcomed Hyundai Heavy Industries' investment, he pointed out that the Subic shipyard's capacity will be doubled from 1.3 million to 2.5 million deadweight tons. This translates into a shipbuilding capacity of up to eight massive oil tankers yearly.

Indeed, the establishment of state-of-the-art infrastructure and modernized shipyards is imperative. These yards must mobilize their modular block construction capabilities, real time workflow monitoring, augmented and digital design systems, and streamlined logistics processes that are the hallmarks of leading shipbuilding nations like South Korea and Japan.

Closely tied to physical infrastructure is the need for tech enabled shipyards that integrate Industry 4.0 innovations. Automation, augmented reality assistance, smart tracking systems, and digital process control are redefining efficiency and precision in global ship production.