Golden shipyards: current problems and perspectives
Today Ukrainian flagships of domestic shipbuilding must solve hard tasks. We can understand the nature of these problems better if we look on the work of ???Black Sea shipbuilding plant???. The new management of the company is ready to start everything afresh reviving production powers of enterprise that were almost buried by the previous owners. The factory stopped its existence as a valuable shipbuilding company under their control or better to say in conditions of the lack of any control. Because of this, the shipbuilding objects are now in a sad state and enterprise is working on the verge of its abilities. The only margin of safety remained since Soviet times and efforts of work collective had finally prevented the factory from the quick destruction. However, present managers believe that the current situation is far from catastrophic and assure that it is still possible to win international recognition in case of rapid modernization and large investments. The mill had already hired 1200 workers, and the process of recruitment continues. Though, new top-management understands that is only the first step. Workers do need worth conditions for life like road networks, infant schools for kids, conditions for cultural leisure, etc. And it is not a question of charity, but business practice. Each worker must feel protection, the same as his family. New management is looking for orders. The enterprise works in partnership with foreign company ???Blue marine limited???. Long-term plans are quite ambitious: an entry on international market and to the world shipbuilding holding. It is realistic goals as an enterprise is familiar with technologies of trawlers and barges production. Nowadays, according to press, they are searching potential financial partners both among profile companies and portfolio investors.
According to expert’s views, there are three main reasons why foreign customers started to give preference to Ukrainian shipbuilding facilities. Firstly, we have cheap working forces with substantial share of qualified specialists. Secondly, Ukraine produces its own steel needed for the shipbuilding. Thirdly, during last years the world center of international shipbuilding has shifted from East to West. European shipwrighters hold only 13% of the world production today; other share of 67% is in the hands of producers from Japan, China and Southern Korea. These countries have one vital benefit -they are granted strong state support: low tax rates for imported equipment and raw materials. It allows them to make orders in time and supply clients with production quickly. Analytics also mention that because of the branch boom, Asian shipyards are overloaded. And that is the reason why foreigners are forced to search free facilities and develop them, as in the case of our country, at their own expenses. Some large world leaders are trying to conquer the East. For them Ukraine is ready to became a bridge between two shipbuilding civilizations.