South Korea: SHI’s Megablock Technique Improves Production Efficiency

Samsung Heavy Industries’ “Megablock” techniques have helped this shipbuilder to significantly improve production efficiency by creating larger blocks and minimizing assembly works. The idea might sound simple. But, building gigantic structures of the size of apartment buildings or bigger, and putting them together with top-level precision require advanced technology and facility. Super-size cranes to lift them are also a must.

As SHI continues work on improving the shipbuilding technique, the company last month achieved a new milestone, successfully carrying a block that weighs as much as 9,283 tons. Equivalent to the combined weight of 133,000 adults of average weight, this is the heaviest block ever built in the global shipbuilding industry. The Eiffel Tower in Paris weighs 8,500 tons. So, you can just imagine what an achievement this is

The Megablock technique is not the only example of Samsung Heavy Industries challenging the conventional method of building ships. While most ships are built on shore and have to be later moved to the sea to be launched, Samsung has long adopted the “offshore floating dock,” which allows building vessels off shore for a quicker launch. No doubt these innovations have enabled Samsung to seize unbeatable leadership in the global shipbuilding industry, especially in building high-tech, high-value vessels.

Samsung Heavy Industries boasts the world’s No. 1 share in drill ships, ultra-large container ships, LNG (liquefied natural gas) carriers and FPSO (floating production storage and offloading). And building on this specialty, it is expanding its leadership in offshore facilities including fixed platforms and LNG-FPSOs.

[mappress]

Source: samsung, July 11, 2012