The Japanese shipbuilder Shikoku Dockyard, based at Takamatsu, has a well-earned global reputation as a constructor of refrigerated cargo ships; by 1998, it had completed more than 50 vessels - the 50th example being the 565,000ft~3 Costa Rican Star, featured in Significant Ships of 1998. Unfortunately, not long after that, the fortunes of the reefer trades declined seriously, and they have been in the doldrums ever since. Today at last, there are small signs of a possible revival, which have been particularly marked by the recent ordering at Shikoku, by Japanese owner Nissen Kaiun, of four large pallet-friendly designs of the most modern type with a capacity of 585,000ft~3; they are believed to be for charter to Star Reefers. The series has been designed by Shikoku's own team, based on its considerable experience in this sector.
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