Imabari Shipbuilding celebrates major milestone with 3,000th vessel delivery

This vessel marks the 3,000th newbuilding for the renowned shipyard. K Line’s management team attended the naming and delivery ceremony, celebrating the remarkable achievement.

Imabari launched its inaugural newbuild, Fuji Maru, in 1956. The company hit its first milestone in 1997 with the delivery of Chubu Maru (the 1,000th vessel), followed by Cape Lily in 2012 as the 2,000th vessel.

Over the years, Imabari has significantly diversified its shipbuilding portfolio. While bulk carriers have traditionally been a core segment for Japanese shipyards, Imabari expanded into new territories with the construction of its first 300,000-dwt VLCC in 2001. In 2008, the shipyard completed a 154,000-m³ LNG carrier. More recent milestones include the delivery of an LNG-fuelled vehicle carrier in 2021 and a 24,000-TEU container vessel in 2023.

According to data published by the Japan Ship Exporters’ Association, in January 2025, Japan’s shipyards had a newbuilding backlog of 632 vessels, totaling 29.8M gt, as of the end of December 2024.

The Greek connection

Greek shipowners have long been loyal customers of the Japanese shipbuilding industry, and despite increasing competition from China and South Korea in recent years, many owners continue to favour Japan-made vessels. 

One such owner, DryDel Shipping, led by Costas Delaportas, attended the Imabari event to celebrate the 3,000-vessel achievement. The ceremony brought together more than 550 esteemed stakeholders from the global shipping community, creating valuable opportunities for collaboration, as noted by DryDel on social media.

According to data from the Union of Greek Shipowners, Japanese shipyards currently have 45 vessels under construction for Greek companies, totalling 4.0M dwt.