By Clara Yan
In recent years, the Macao government has planned to activate the old sites of shipbuilding factories in order to develop them into a testimonial of the inherited traditional shipbuilding culture.
The shipbuilding industry in Macao is connected to the history of the fishery industry. In the past 300 years, these industries were the backbone of Macao and shaped it as the way it is. In the 1920s, Macao had over 30 shipbuilding factories. Among them, the government-run factory near Barra, which was founded in 1890, was the biggest and was installed with the most advanced equipment, according to the Chinese book “Macao Dockyard: Building and Re- pairing for One Century”.
Now, when you pay a visit to Coloane, the wretched factories still could give a visualization to show how busy they used to be. Can’t help but wonder, how did they come to an end? After World War II, the fishery industry began to fall and this was followed by the decline of shipbuilding. A number of factories chose to reduce production and eventually closed up. In the late 1990s, when the government started the town planning, the shipbuilding factories had to move to the Litchi Bay in Coloane. Macao later began to reclaim more land from the sea for economic development and expand residential are- as. The fishery and shipbuilding industries eventually disappeared.
Although it is nearly impossible for Macao to revive its shipbuilding industry because of the current economic and social structures, there are still potential ways to develop new uses of the old factory sites. Still under consideration, according to the head of the Works Bureau of City Planning Office in Macao, the government has planned to revitalize the old sites by regulating the Litchi Bay area into four sub districts, hoping to hold shipbuilding related activities like shipyard showcases, artwork and design pieces, workshops, catering services, as well as providing accommodations. In this plan, the public, especially the younger generation, will be able to learn more about the history of Macao. At the same time, the profits generated can be used to further preserve these historical sites of Macao. In addition, some other factories, according to Zhidong Hao, Professor of Sociology from the University of Macau, and businesses such as making and selling ship toys, ship models and other side products could produce more profits.