Japanese shipyards to employ robots for welding and painting work
The Japanese shipbuilding industry is experiencing a decline in employment, with numbers dropping from over 90,000 in 2016 to 70,300 in 2023, as reported by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in its 2026 peer review.
Challenges in Workforce Sustainability
The OECD review highlighted concerns about the industry’s ageing workforce and the slower influx of younger workers, pointing to long-term labour sustainability issues. It also noted that there is a growing demand for skilled and design staff within the industry, which poses challenges in terms of availability and replenishment of technical expertise.
Addressing Labour Shortfalls
The consortium comprising ClassNK, Namura, and Shin Kurushima Dockyard has put forward a project that focuses on improving welding quality checks. The project proposes the use of image recognition AI to adjust welding conditions, automatic quality assessments based on welding logs, and the development of a draft guideline for quality checks. This initiative aims to tackle the issue of worsening labour shortages in the industry, attributed to Japan’s declining birthrate, ageing population, and a decrease in skilled workers.
As the Japanese shipbuilding industry grapples with these labour challenges, innovative solutions and collaborative efforts are essential to ensure the sustainability and growth of the sector in the face of changing demographics and workforce dynamics.
