MHI Faces $585 mln Loss Due to Construction Delays

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has decided to book an extraordinary loss of approximately $585 million from its cruise ship business in the company’s consolidated financial results for fiscal year (FY) 2013 (ending March 31, 2014).

In November 2011 MHI received an order for two large-sized cruise ships for the AIDA Cruises brand. Based on its previous experience building cruise ships, the company set up a project to facilitate prompt implementation of measures necessary for the newly ordered ships’ construction.

Also, the company, because it views the two ships as next-generation energy-efficient cruise vessels that will function as a prototype for the AIDA Cruises brand, accordingly allotted a proportionate amount of time to handling the pre-construction details.

The foregoing initiatives notwithstanding, as work proceeded in the actual construction phase of the project, difficulties involved in the construction of the prototype became evident.

Moreover, the volume of design work relating to the cruise ships cabins and other areas has been vast and significant design changes have been made, with the combined result of a delay in the design work. The delay has translated not only to increased design costs but also to negative factors in terms of additional material procurement, construction schedule, etc.; and these adverse influences have eroded the originally planned cost structure.

AIDA Cruises belongs to the COSTA Group, a European subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. The two cruise ships originally ordered feature 124,500 gross tonnage and capacity to carry approximately 3,300 passengers. Construction of the first of the two vessels got under way in June 2013.

[mappress]
mhi, March 24, 2014