TABLE OF CONTENTS The past two or three decades have seen the emergence of a substantial number of new shipyards, primarily in Asia and Eastern Europe, that have been specifically planned to construct the larger ships being ordered today, using contemporary shipbuilding practices and production methods. A number of traditional shipbuilders have also established new yards where they can also build larger ships and/or exploit the new technology and production methods. In general the remaining shipbuilders will have had to re-configure their site in order to utilise new technology and improve production, whilst continuing to build ships. In many cases the latter will still be restrained as to the size and type of ship that can be built.
An ideal layout for a modern shipyard is based on a production flow basis, with the yard extending back from the river or shore at which the berths or building dock are located. The furthest area from the berths is reserved for the material stockyard, and between the two are arranged in sequence the consecutive work and shop processes. Too often existing shipyards follow the river bank, and are restricted by their location in a built up area or the physical river bank slope from extending back from the river, so that modified production flow lines are required.
Planning a new shipyard, or re-planning an existing...
