The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

Chapter 640: The Dilemma of the Nanyang-1000 Type Ocean Fishing Vessel

Before the festive atmosphere of the 10,000-ton ship launching ceremony had completely dissipated, Li Zhenbang, director of the Yangon Shipyard, encountered a thorny problem.

The five "Nanyang-1000" ocean-going fishing vessels, which were started almost at the same time, have also been completed and launched one after another.

They are neatly moored at a dedicated dock, with brand new hulls and smooth lines, like five steel warriors waiting to go into battle.

However, unlike the highly sought-after 10,000-ton ships, these ocean-going fishing vessels, which were highly anticipated, have few customers.

The shipyard originally thought that with its advanced performance and the government's strong publicity, the Nanyang-1000 type would definitely become a hot commodity that private capital would scramble for.

But reality poured a bucket of cold water on me.

"Director Li, it's not that we don't believe your boat is any good, it's just that...distant-sea fishing is too risky."

"Yeah, it's a big one. How much does it cost to buy one? And it needs so many crew members. What if we don't catch any fish or encounter a storm? We'll lose everything."

"Look again, look again..."

Li Zhenbang has heard so many similar excuses lately that his ears are almost callused.

Private shipowners and chambers of commerce say that the ships are good, but when it comes to placing orders with real money, they all back off.

Although the shipbuilding process accumulated valuable experience and trained the workforce, the five ships remained in their hands, occupying a large amount of funds and berths, and became real bad debts.

Thinking back, it was Commander Zhang Chi's strategic vision to insist on designing and building this new type of fishing boat, but starting construction on five boats at once was a decision he made in pursuit of efficiency and to demonstrate his ability.

Li Zhenbang felt a tingling sensation in his heart and sweat broke out on his forehead.

After much hesitation, he finally gritted his teeth and reported the situation through the Ministry of Industry.

As the person in charge of key industrial projects in Nanyang, his rank was not low, and the news soon reached Zhang Chi.

"Fishing boats are not selling?" Zhang Chi was not very surprised to hear the news.

He knows that changing concepts takes time, especially in the high-risk and high-return field of ocean shipping.

The waters within the current Nanyang territory have been rich in fishery resources since ancient times.

The mouth of the Irrawaddy River, the Gulf of Siam, and the Andaman Sea have always been where coastal fishermen have made their living for generations.

But for a long time, fishermen have relied on small wooden sailboats or motorboats, which can only reach a few dozen miles offshore.

Relying on the experience passed down by ancestors, they observe the water color, watch the bird flocks, catch some sardines and mackerel near the coast, or catch some shrimps and crabs during the season.

Most people feel awe and fear towards the deep, unfathomable, stormy ocean and dare not cross the line.

If he wants to develop offshore fishing, it seems he has to be the first to take the lead.

So Zhang Chi found the synthesizer Guo Xiu.

Guo Xiu, a senior management synthetic human provided by the system who specializes in corporate operations, is now his personal butler, managing the increasingly large business empire of "Nanhua Group" on his behalf.

"Old Guo, do you know the situation of the five 'Nanyang-1000' ships at the Yangon Shipyard?" Zhang Chi asked directly.

"I just learned about it, Commander-in-Chief." Guo Xiu's tone was calm and without any ripples.

"We can't let it rot in the shipyard. So, you take the lead and set up a 'Nanhua Fishery Company.'"

"Nanhua Corporation contributed 60% of the capital, and the Ministry of Industry contributed 40%. These five ships serve as the company's start-up assets."

"You are responsible for quickly gathering the existing maritime talents of captains, first mates, and chief engineers within our Nanhua system, expanding the recruitment of sailors, and building up the fleet."

"Remember, we're not limited to Chinese people. As long as they have real skills, experienced locals and foreigners can be employed. The key is to build up combat effectiveness as quickly as possible."

"Understood." Guo Xiu responded simply, "I'll get started right away."

Nanhua Group is extremely efficient.

The recruitment notice was quickly posted through offices in various places. The generous salary attracted many people.

Twenty-two-year-old Chen Hai is one of them.

He was originally from Cantonese and came from a poor family. At the age of fourteen, he had to work as a laborer on a John's ocean-going fishing boat. At such a young age, he experienced all the ups and downs of life at sea.

Later, the war broke out and John's ships retreated back to Hong Kong. He had no choice but to return to his hometown and live a hard life with his parents and younger brother.

Last year, he heard that Marshal Zhang Chi, who was also from Cantonese, had built a huge foundation in Southeast Asia and was taking special care of his compatriots. He made up his mind, said goodbye to his parents, and went south alone to make a living.

When we arrived in Nanyang, we were allocated land and settled down.

At the beginning of this year, he brought his parents and younger brother over, thinking that he would have to work hard for the rest of his life.

But when he saw the notice of Nanhua Fishery Company recruiting ocean-going crew members, his heart that belonged to the sea began to stir again.

"Dad, Mom, I want to give it a try." Chen Hai mustered up the courage to say during dinner.

"Become a sailor? Go to the ocean? I heard it's very dangerous..." Mother was a little worried.

"What are you afraid of?" His father slammed the table. "In Nanyang, being a worker, especially for the Nanhua Group, is something that brings honor to the family. The income is high, the treatment is good, it's much better than farming. Haizai has experience, it would be a pity not to go."

"Yes, Mom, look at what is written on the notice. There is insurance, dividends, and you can even get a promotion if you work well." Chen Hai quickly added.

Working on a ship owned by the Chinese in Southeast Asia is naturally not like working as a menial worker for your entire life on a foreign ship. There are opportunities for advancement.

Chen Hai seems to be born to belong to the sea, farming is definitely not his destiny

His family ultimately supported him.

Everyone knows that in Southeast Asia, having a stable job as a worker means a good life.

Chen Hai successfully passed the physical examination and a simple skills test. In addition, he had a graduation certificate from Nanyang Night School, so he was quickly hired and directly assigned a "Level 2" rank.

On the day of reporting, he and other newly recruited crew members received training and chatted with each other.

A young crew member named Xiao Wang said to Chen Hai enviously, "Brother Hai, you are amazing. You are a level 2 right out of the gate. My family of fishermen for three generations has only been rated as a level 1."

Chen Hai smiled and said, "I just worked on John's ship for a few more years and gained some experience. What does this rank mean?"

An old sailor who knew a little bit about the situation explained:

"I heard this is a rule set by the Grand Commander himself, and it applies to the entire Nanhua Group. From level 1 to level 10, the higher the level, the better the salary, bonuses, housing allocation, children's education, and other benefits."

"In our industry, we have technical and management ranks. Sailors and engineers follow the technical rank, while first mates and boatswains are usually level 4, and captains can reach level 5. I heard that the average department manager is also level 5."

"Wow! How high of an official must someone be at level 10?" someone exclaimed.

"Level 10? I guess only bigwigs like Mr. Guo Xiu can reach that level, right?"

"I heard there's an 11th level!"

"Level 11? Who is it for?"