Shipbuilding tie-up postponed by regulatory hurdles
Imabari and JMU said their ‘alliance agreement’ was pushed back for a month to November 1, 2020, citing ‘reviews and approval processes related to competition law that are still ongoing overseas’. Regulatory approvals have also delayed other yard group mergers
Deal involves Imabari acquiring a stake in JMU and then the two firms establishing a joint venture named Nihon Shipyard to co-develop and sell vessels — except liquefied natural gas carriers. Asian shipyards have been consolidating recently as competition gets tougher amid the industry downturn