Do you know how long a ship takes to build?

The size and functionality required for a ship varies according to the type of goods to be loaded, the destination and the route.
They are often made one by one to meet the different demands.

This article introduces how long it takes for a ship to be built and its process.

The ship takes 1-3 years to complete.

In general, it often takes 1~3 years to build one ship.

There are actually two stages to build a ship.

One is the planning stage.
This is the stage where we discuss and think about what kind of boat we want to build.
It can take several years at best.

The second stage is to actually start building the ship.
This varies depending on the size of the ship, taking around 8 months~1 year for larger ships and 3~4 months for smaller ships.

So the sum of these two factors is generally said to take 1~3 years to produce.

11 steps to comple a ship.

What a surprise, there are 11 steps before the ship is completed!
So what is the process by which ships are built? Let’s look at them one by one.

Determination of shipowner basic requirements

This is a summary of the shipowner’s (the person who asked for the ship to be built) requirements and desires for the ship. 

For example, “I want to build a sturdy boat that can carry enough fuel to travel to foreign countries” or “I want to build a boat that is as fast as possible because I want to use it in races”.

Enquiry

Then, find a company who is capable to build a boat based on the shipowner’s basic requirements.
This company is called a ‘shipyard’.

preliminary design and quotation

Shipyards formulate quotations based on the shipowner’s basic requirements for the shipowner.
This is simply a statement that “this is how much it will cost to build this boat”.

Discussions and basic design with shipowners

When quotations come in from several shipyards, the shipowner chooses the one he wants to work with. 

For the basic design, plans are drawn up to meet the shipowner’s requirements in terms of use, size, ports and routes they want to use.

signing of shipbuilding contracts

If both parties agree on the terms and conditions, the contract is finally signed.

detailed design

After signing the contract, further details are to be determined.

This is the stage where the size, strength and life span of the components required for shipbuilding are considered in the design process.

Groundbreaking

At this stage, the ship can finally begin to be built.
The ship travels on water, but is first built on the ground.

Launching

Once the ship is completed on the ground, it is time to test floating on water!

Although this is not a time for completion, an event called a ‘launching ceremony’ is often held to ‘celebrate the birth of the ship and pray for its safe passage on the sea’ at this stage.

sea trial run

After floating in the water, it is tested to see if it will go over the sea.

The important thing here is to make sure that the vessel is in compliance with the law and that its performance is satisfactory to the shipowner.

Completion and handover

When all the work is completed and the shipowner is satisfied with the workmanship, the ship leaves the shipyard and is handed over to the shipowner.

going into commission

Once the ship is completed, it can start working to fulfil its respective roles, such as carrying customers if it is a ‘ferry’, racing if it is a ‘motorboat’, or protecting national security if it is a ‘escort ship’.

Summary

In this article, we have explained the timeframe for building a boat and the specific steps involved.

The period for building a ship is generally said to be 1~3 years, and there are 11 steps involved.
It is also important to note that the length of time required depends on the size and demand of the ship to be built.

We also manufactures a wide range of marine equipment.

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References：
1. 川崎 豊彦,図解入門よくわかる最新船舶の基本と仕組み[第4版],株式会社秀和システム,2020年 第1版
2. 池田  良穂,今日からモノ知りシリーズトコトンやさしい船舶工学の本,日刊工業新聞社,2017年 初版

References site：
しまなみ造船株式会社（進水式について）
第2回：造船業における事業の特色、会計処理及び内部統制（引き合い〜起工までの根拠）
funedeki.pdf（詳細設計に関する根拠）