Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc., a joint venture between Tsuneishi Group and Aboitiz & Company awakened the sleeping town of Balamban located at the west coast of Cebu Island , as it planted its seed of success in 1994. And is now one of a handful of companies that helped boost the economy of the Philippines , and continues to put our motherland in the world map. Moreover, it put Cebu on a pedestal amongst other regions in the shipbuilding industry. The developments it brought in this western town such as massive employment, which positively contributed in the town's economic richness, has formed Balamban to a more prosperous municipality in Cebu province.

Yes, that seed of success has already grown 15 years since THI was made realized by those 300 strong and persistent Japanese Team and the 5 members (of 15) inaugural group who are still presently with us, with its realization of completing a shipbuilding factory while concurrently constructing its first 23,000 ton type vessel in a period of 2 years. Believe it, or not?

Well, that was just a brief history of our beloved company, THI, which in one way or another continuously propelled not just our country but the Tsuneishi Group as well. THI's face has changed many times. To tell you more, powerful human dramas were unfolding before our eyes, and few of which were left untold. So, starting this month of February following the months ahead, a continuing saga of HOW THI was born and WHAT THI has became now after 15 years will be squeezed into the front pages of all issues of our monthly newsletter.

LOOKING BACK, significant glimpses from the PAST (1903~1993)

In 1903, Mr. Katsutaro Kambara, founded the shipping company which later become Kambara Kisen (the original founding company of Tsuneishi Group) and purchased four sailing ships to begin his business. Years after, Shiohama Shipyard was established and later in 1942, changed its name to Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., and began building and repairing wooden ships for domestic transportation. Between those years, World War I & II are still being waged. Even with Japan 's downturn due to postwar, Mr. K. Kambara didn't lose sight on the bright light far ahead. In 1945, Hideo Kambara took in-charged as the president of Tsuneishi Shipbuilding, and three years after, decided its company logo “ ”, a Japanese character which means “TEN” (the sky; the heavens) . Why this character? One of Kambara's vessels was called “TENSHO MARU”, which brought good luck and started to generate good profits, including the “No.4 TENSHO MARU”. And so many ships were built with the character “TEN”, which have enormously contributed to the development not only to Tsuneishi Group but to the shipping industry of Japan . With these good fortune brought by those ships, the company decided to maintain the Japanese character “TEN”.

Japan in its 1950s and 1960s used its shipbuilding industry to rebuild its industrial structures. Japan was then the world's leading shipbuilding nation, an outstanding achievement after the World War, since during those years, the Korean War started continuing until 1973 with the oil embargo that put Japan on top. And so, between those years, when shipbuilding industry was booming, in 1957-1958, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding built its first steel cargo ship, “MIKO MARU”, a 361-dwt carrier, wherein 2 years prior to this event, Mr. Hideo Kambara became the mayor of the town Numakuma. However, in 1961 of February, Mr. Katsutaro Kambara passed away. How did they manage after this unexpected circumstance?

Keep one's head above water

The heart of the shipbuilders did not stop beating. Embracing change and keeping one's head above water was the key of a significant breakthrough in building the first big ship, the 4,100 GT lumber carrier in 1964. 4 years later, a repair dock with 200,000 DWT capacity was completed. The age of technological innovation started as the sizes of the vessels grew even bigger. In 1972 and 1973, Tsuneishi built its first biggest chip ship and the 80,000 type tanker ship respectively. The gradual development in the shipping industry steered Tsuneishi with the expansion of its building berth to 90,000 DWT capacity and its building dock to 120,000 DWT capacity in 1974. In 1976, an alliance between Tsuneishi Shipbuilding and Hashihama Shipbuilding Co., Ltd (Tadotsu Factory) was made realized. As Mr. Hideo's leadership ended in 1977, Mr. Makoto Kambara reigned as the new president thereafter. Also, the first Car-Only-Carrier (2,000 units) was built on the same year.

Owing to the extensive hearing surveys from foreign ship owners in meeting their requirements, Tsuneishi Economical Standard Ship or also known as TESS40, was born in 1981, which the first TESS40 (43,000 DWT Bulk Carrier) was completed in 1984 with a Norwegian Owner, UGLAND, an old partner who had commissioned Tsuneishi to build many ships. The first TESS40 ship named “GLENEAGLES”, won a reputation among ship owners in Japan and foreign countries as well. TESS, is a multi-purpose bulk carrier capable of loading many types of cargoes (grain, coal & ore), capable of loading long steel pipes (42ft. x2 or 60ft. x 1 row), hot coils of 15 tons x2 stacks, capable of loading lumbers on the upper deck (optional), larger block coefficient for larger capacity and lower cost and fuel consumption. TESS has generated a higher position in the market even during the slow down of handy bulk carriers in the market in 1985-1988. Furthermore, in 1985, Tsuneishi built the first original large container carrier that is capable of holding 2,000 containers. As the company crosses the threshold of 1990s, it once again proved and took great pride in building the largest bulk carrier (180,000DWT) in conjunction with Hashihama Shipbuilding (Tadotsu Factory) in 1991. In 1992, Mr. Osamu Kambara became the president of Tsuneishi Shipbuilding. Subsequently, Tsuneishi Technical Services (Phils.) Inc. (TTSP), a design company was established in the Philippines , and K&A Metal Industries was born a year after. (INGENUITY & OPPORTUNITY: In 1994, the largest shipbuilding dockyard in the Philippines, Tsuneishi Heavy Industries (Cebu) Inc. was born…to be continued in March Issue)