TOKYO -- Buoyancy appears to be returning to Japan's shipbuilders as order volumes for mainstay merchant vessels rose 150% in 2017, according to data released Wednesday.
With bulk freighters on a recovery trend, and fresh demand for environmentally friendly ships seen ahead, players such as Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are beefing up their construction frameworks, preparing to take on Chinese and South Korean rivals.
