Onomichi Dockyard Co., Ltd.
Independent Japanese mid-sized shipbuilder headquartered in Kobe, building product/chemical tankers, bulk carriers, ferries and RO-RO vessels at its Onomichi shipyard.
Last updated September 27, 2026
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Overview
Onomichi Dockyard Co., Ltd. (尾道造船株式会社, Onomichi Zōsen Kabushiki-gaisha) is an independent mid-sized Japanese shipbuilding company. Although its name references the city of Onomichi, its registered head office is in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, while its main manufacturing base is the Onomichi Shipyard in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The company was founded in April 1943 as a wooden-ship specialist, emerging from the wartime restructuring of the earlier Mukojima Dockyard (向島船渠), which had been absorbed into Hitachi Zosen. It is a member of the Japan Shipbuilders' Association and remains privately held. The company's core business is the construction, repair, dismantling and operation of ships, along with the fabrication and repair of structures and machinery, civil engineering and steel structure contracting, and ship chartering. Its product portfolio centers on product tankers and chemical tankers, bulk carriers, and ferries, including RO-RO passenger/cargo vessels. It has built notable ferries such as the energy-saving "Wakanatsu" and the simple ferry "Ferry Shimanto," both of which won Ship of the Year awards in their respective categories. It also built the RO-RO vessels used by Ryukyu Kaiun, a company in which it holds shares, and ferries for the Japan–China international route. Onomichi Dockyard operates its main Onomichi Shipyard with a 105,000 DWT No. 2 berth, a 60,000 DWT No. 5 dock and a 40,000 DWT No. 6 dock, plus the Mukojima, Matsunaga and Saeki plants. It has expanded through domestic and overseas affiliates, notably acquiring a stake in Saeki Heavy Industries in 1988 and Colombo Dockyard PLC in Sri Lanka in 1992. The company reported revenue of 56.025 billion yen for fiscal 2025 and employs 431 people as of April 2026. Its stated ambition is to achieve the world's highest production per unit factory area. The current president is Takashi Nakabe. As a mid-sized independent builder, Onomichi Dockyard occupies a niche in the Japanese shipbuilding industry, focusing on standardized tanker and bulk carrier designs (such as the 40PC, 47PC, 75PC, 53BC and 33BC types) and specialized ferries, while maintaining a strong ship repair business. Its long history, family-linked founding lineage, and international footprint in Sri Lanka distinguish it among Japan's regional shipyards.
History
The origins of Onomichi Dockyard trace back to the late 19th century and the entrepreneurial career of Kishi Tarō (岸太郎), born in 1861 on Yuge Island in Ehime Prefecture. After working in Hakodate, Hokkaido, he founded Hamané Shōten (濱根商店) in 1899 as a marine products commission business. He later expanded into shipping, becoming a 10,000-ton shipowner in 1921, and moved Hamané Shōten to Kobe in 1923. In 1918 he had founded Mukojima Dockyard (向島船渠), a ship repair yard. After his death in 1925, his adopted son Yamada Chūzō (山田忠蔵), who took the name Hamané Kishi Tarō as the second generation, succeeded him. The second Hamané Kishi Tarō became president of Hamané Shōten and Mukojima Dockyard, founded Hamané Kisen in 1935, and in 1943 saw Mukojima Dockyard absorbed into Hitachi Zosen under the wartime planned shipbuilding system. That same year, 1943, a new shipyard specializing in wooden ships was established as Onomichi Dockyard Co., Ltd., with the second Hamané Kishi Tarō as its president. After World War II, the Japanese shipbuilding industry fell into deep depression, but the Korean War special procurement boom of the early 1950s revived global tanker construction. Onomichi Dockyard expanded its facilities steadily: No. 1 berth (5,600 DWT) in 1948, No. 2 berth (2,400 DWT) in 1955, No. 3 dock (9,000 DWT) in 1957, and No. 5 dock (9,000 DWT) in 1966. In 1965 the 100th vessel was completed. In 1966 the No. 1 berth was expanded to 17,000 DWT and No. 2 to 6,500 DWT, and a hull factory and outfitting factory were built. In 1967 the No. 1 quay was expanded for large ship construction. In 1970 the No. 6 dock (40,000 DWT) was built, along with a second hull factory, finishing machinery factory and general office. In 1973 No. 1 berth was expanded to 26,000 DWT and No. 2 to 85,000 DWT, and a third hull factory was added. In 1975 capital was increased to 100 million yen and newbuilding volume exceeded 360,000 DWT. In 1976 the first foreign-flag vessel, an 86,301 DWT oil tanker, was built. In 1977 the company entered the land-based sector, and in 1978 obtained a specific construction business license (steel structures) and completed its first full container ship. In 1979 it obtained building and civil engineering licenses. In 1981 it began the semi-tandem construction method. In 1986 the Innoshima factory was established. In 1987 the west quay was reclaimed and No. 1 berth was converted into an assembly factory. In 1988 No. 2 berth was expanded to 105,000 DWT and the company acquired shares in Saeki Heavy Industries, taking over its management. In 1989 it introduced an NC plasma cutting machine and completed its first 100,000 DWT-class oil tanker (AFRAMAX). In 1990 No. 3 dock was converted into an assembly factory and No. 5 dock expanded to 53,000 DWT. In 1991 a 160-ton tower crane jointly built with Fukuyama Heavy Machinery and Hitachi was installed at No. 2 berth. In 1992 the first double-hull Aframax tanker was completed, and the company acquired shares in Colombo Drydocks and Colombo Dockyard in Sri Lanka to strengthen its repair business. In 1993 a 4,229 TEU container ship (R TYPE) was completed. In 1994 a 14,543 GT RO-RO passenger/cargo ship was launched. In 1996 a 47,172 DWT oil tanker (MR Mark I) was completed. In 1998 ISO 9001 certification was obtained and 3D CAD introduced. In 2000 computer systems were networked. In 2001 a hull block blasting factory was built and an NC steel cutting machine added; a 52,827 DWT bulk carrier was completed. In 2003 an industrial machinery department was opened in the Tokyo branch and a private power plant was built. In 2004 a 240-ton tower crane was installed at No. 2 berth and a 47,094 DWT oil tanker (MR Mark II) completed. In 2005 a pipe center was opened. In 2006 a 70,377 DWT oil tanker (ICE CLASS) was completed. In 2007 the energy-saving RO-RO ship "Wakanatsu" won Ship of the Year 2006, and the Matsunaga factory was established. In 2008 the Mukojima factory was established. In 2010 a safety training center and new painting factory were built, and a 50,093 DWT oil tanker (MR Mark III) completed. In 2011 a 49,936 DWT oil tanker (MR Mark IV) was completed. In 2012 a 37,114 DWT bulk carrier was completed. In 2015 a 60,218 DWT bulk carrier was completed. In 2017 the Saeki factory was established and the simple ferry "Ferry Shimanto" won the Ship of the Year 2016 large passenger ship category award. In 2018 a 49,996 DWT oil tanker (MR Mark V) was completed and a new general office built. In 2020 a 109,827 DWT oil tanker (LR-II) was completed, the MGO-fired engine UEC-LSJ won the Marine Engineering of the Year (Dokō Memorial Award) 2019, and Hakobune Co., Ltd. was established. In 2021 an 11,681 GT RO-RO cargo ship and a 3,600,000 CFT wood chip carrier were completed. In 2022 a 17,667 DWT two-deck cargo ship was completed and a new crew dormitory "SAMBA CABIN" was built. The company celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2023.
- 2023
80th anniversary of founding.
- 2020
109,827 DWT oil tanker (LR-II) completed; UEC-LSJ engine wins Marine Engineering of the Year 2019.
- 2017
Saeki factory established; "Ferry Shimanto" wins Ship of the Year 2016 large passenger ship award.
- 2008
Mukojima factory established.
- 2007
"Wakanatsu" wins Ship of the Year 2006; Matsunaga factory established.
- 1994
ISO 9001 certification obtained.
- 1992
Shares in Colombo Dockyard PLC (Sri Lanka) acquired.
- 1989
First 100,000 DWT-class oil tanker (AFRAMAX) completed.
- 1988
No. 2 berth expanded to 105,000 DWT; shares in Saeki Heavy Industries acquired.
- 1978
First full container ship completed; steel structure construction license obtained.
Products and positioning
Independent mid-sized Japanese shipbuilder specializing in standardized product/chemical tankers, bulk carriers and ferries, with a strong ship repair business and international affiliates.
40PC
40,000 DWT Bostonmax product/chemical tanker, built at Saeki Heavy Industries.
47PC
47,000 DWT product tanker.
75PC
75,000 DWT Panamax product tanker.
71PC
71,000 DWT Panamax oil tanker.
53BC
52,800 DWT Handymax bulk carrier.
33BC
33,000 DWT box-shaped bulk carrier.
37BC
37,000 DWT "Super" box-shaped bulk carrier.
50PC
50,000 DWT product tanker / chemical product tanker.
Sources6 sources
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