Suzhou Cosc Marine Machinery learned from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) that on May 18, 2016, in order to implement Made in China 2025 and accelerate the demonstration‑based application of intelligent manufacturing in the shipbuilding industry, the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology held an on‑site experience‑sharing conference on promoting intelligent manufacturing in the shipbuilding industry at Nantong COSCO‑Kawasaki Ship Engineering Co., Ltd.

Suzhou Cosc Marine Machinery holds that the 13th Five‑Year Plan period marks a critical phase for China’s shipbuilding industry to grow from large‑scale to strong. Industrial development has entered a superimposed stage featuring slowing growth, structural adjustment, and arduous restructuring of competitive advantages. Accelerating the integration of new‑generation information technology and advanced ship‑manufacturing technologies and vigorously promoting intelligent manufacturing can rapidly improve shipbuilding quality and efficiency while cutting costs and resource‑energy consumption. It serves as an effective way to enhance the core competitiveness of Chinese shipbuilders, an important means to speed up product innovation and intelligent development, and a key measure to foster new international competitive advantages for China’s shipbuilding industry.

Finally, Suzhou Cosc Marine Machinery emphasizes that to comprehensively lift the international competitiveness of the shipbuilding industry and achieve the goal of building a powerful shipbuilding nation, solid progress shall be made in intelligent manufacturing in the shipbuilding industry with emphasis on the following five aspects:

First, strengthen top‑level design and systematic guidance for intelligent manufacturing in the shipbuilding industry, and guide shipyards with different development foundations to steadily construct intelligent production lines, intelligent workshops and intelligent factories.

Second, steadily advance pilot‑and‑demonstration projects for intelligent manufacturing in the shipbuilding industry. MIIT’s 2016 special campaign for intelligent‑manufacturing pilot‑and‑demonstration programs has been launched. Enterprises in the shipbuilding industry shall be guided to carry out pilot‑and‑demonstration work based on real‑world conditions.

Third, develop replicable models for accelerated promotion on the basis of pilot‑and‑demonstration outcomes. Develop a set of internationally‑advanced and industry‑shared digital‑process development software, test platforms, databases and technical standards; establish a standard system for intelligent manufacturing in the shipbuilding sector, and build a new integrated model for digital R&D, design and manufacturing of ships.

Fourth, scale up policy support and guidance. Implementation Guidelines for the Intelligent Manufacturing Project (2016‑2020) focuses on ten key sectors including offshore engineering equipment and high‑tech ships. Support will be strengthened for intelligent‑manufacturing renovation projects, technical research, industrial standards, new‑type models and intelligent‑manufacturing equipment within the shipbuilding industry through special funds for technological transformation, industrial transformation and upgrading, as well as intelligent‑manufacturing initiatives.

Fifth, step up publicity to facilitate the popularization and application of proven typical experience. Select one or two shipbuilding enterprises in the industry as benchmarks to build “model workshops” for intelligent shipyards, so as to lead and drive the development of other domestic shipbuilders.