Nantong Masada Ship Machinery Co., Ltd., a Chinese company located in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, to which Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) licensed its marine deck crane technology, has completed production and delivery of its first MHI-licensed product. Delivery was taken by Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry Co., Ltd., a major local shipbuilder. Nantong Masada aims to increase deck crane production in response to rapidly growing demand arising from a sharp increase in local construction of cargo ships, including bulk carriers. MHI is looking for its partnership with Nantong Masada to play an important role in launching its deck cranes into the robustly expanding Chinese market.
Nantong Masada Ship Machinery was jointly established in 2005 by Nantong Universal Machinery Co., Ltd., an industrial machinery manufacturer in Jiangsu, and Masada Ironworks Co., Ltd., a winch manufacturer in Osaka, Japan, to produce marine deck equipment. MHI licensed its deck crane technology to Nantong Masada in June 2008, following which a 30,000 square meter plant dedicated to deck crane manufacture was built with MHI's guidance. Production got under way at the plant in June 2009.
MHI is currently supplying the hydraulic machines and other core components for deck cranes with 30–35 ton hoisting capacities being manufactured by the Chinese plant. Gaining momentum from delivery of the first completed unit, the joint venture now plans to begin full-fledged production, initially targeting 50 units in 2010 and ultimately looking to produce 200 units per year.
