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China shipbuilding

China shipbuilding
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China shipbuilding. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Delivery and naming ceremony of Celsius Georgetown, taken on April 8 in Nantong, China’s Jiangsu province. Photo: Handout
China exports

China delivers record LNG carrier – is South Korea losing its shipbuilding edge?

The vessel’s completion follows China dominating global shipbuilding orders last year, with South Korea leading in high-value segments.

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US, Israel war on Iran

The Iran war’s unlikely winner: China’s shipyards

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US-China relations

Trump’s military push confronts US lawmakers and China’s shipbuilding edge

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China technology

China sails into AI era with ambitious smart shipping targets

Pilot zones and more than 100 smart vessels are part of Beijing’s strategy to bolster maritime operations and address bottlenecks.

The 15th five-year plan has elevated China’s AI Plus initiative into a top national priority, and the maritime sector is set to benefit. Photo: Shutterstock
Mainland China

China’s high-end yacht owners say industry growth stifled by structural gaps

Shipowners say billionaire Richard Liu’s new venture to make yacht ownership more affordable will need to surmount significant challenges.

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Mainland China

Iran war exposes a weakness in China’s vast shipping sector: a lack of insurers

China’s maritime sector still relies on overseas legal and financial service providers, a potential strategic vulnerability in a turbulent world.

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Japan

‘Not easy’: Japan mulls building its own LNG carriers amid Iran energy crisis

China and South Korea dominate global production of vessels for carrying natural gas, but Japan now sees industry as key to its energy security.

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A liquefied natural gas carrier is under construction at a shipyard in Geoje, South Korea. Japan may restart domestic production of LNG carriers, aiming to break into a market dominated by South Korea and China. Photo: Getty Images
China technology

Editorial | China steps up its clean energy push with electric ships

As the world’s largest shipbuilder and a leader in EVs and advanced batteries, the country is well placed to help clean up the polluting shipping industry.

Open Questions series

Open Questions | US shipbuilding revival looks dead in the water, Li Yanqing says

China commercial shipbuilding veteran doubts protectionist US can take business from market-oriented Chinese yards, and slams Washington’s ‘fabricated facts’ about their rise.

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Transport and logistics

Open Questions | Top shipbuilding voice Li Yanqing rebukes Washington’s ‘China threat’ narrative

China’s national shipbuilding association official calls US port fees ‘absurd’ and politically motivated, while asserting China’s market lead is solid despite global fluctuations.

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
China's military weapons

China’s 155mm naval gun on test vessel signals boost to amphibious landing power

The weapon – reportedly capable of firing guided munitions – represents a significant upgrade for PLA Navy.

Photos of China’s new 155mm weapon mounted on the bow of a test vessel have recently emerged on Chinese social media. Photo: Handout
China travel

China’s cruise industry passes major milestone as Beijing eyes travel boom

As domestic liner handles 1 millionth passenger, Beijing says it aims to turn yachts and cruise ships into major new consumption drivers.

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China manufacturing

Stern rebuke: China shrugs off 2025 US threats to anchor shipbuilding dominance

Despite a market share dip, Chinese yards extend their commanding lead in key indicators, as high exports and lengthy backlogs signal resilience despite rivals’ gains.

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US-China relations

‘Wartime footing’: US Navy chief unveils Trump’s Golden Fleet shipbuilding push

John Phelan says it is essential that America matches China’s superior production capacity and manufacturing workforce.

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US President Donald Trump announces plans for a new class of warships called the Golden Fleet at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in December. Photo: AFP
China economy

China’s shipyards still lead the world, but US threats took a toll in 2025

Chinese shipbuilders saw their market share dip for the first time in five years in 2025, as uncertainty over US port fees roiled the industry.

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A ship is under construction at a shipyard in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. China remains the world’s top shipbuilder, but its market share dipped last year amid uncertainty over US port fees. Photo: AFP
China's military weapons

Is China quietly preparing cargo ships to transform into military vessels?

Containers bear the words ‘plan for the maritime revival of the Chinese nation and the community of shared future for mankind in the ocean’.

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United States

Trump announces new class of ‘battleships’ named after himself

According to Trump, the ships, the first of which will be named the USS Defiant, will be substantially larger than existing US destroyers.

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Made in China 2025

Exclusive | China’s oldest shipyard Jiangnan plans world’s first nuclear-powered vessel

Construction on 25,000-container ship could start in the next 10 years, but a lot remains to be done, a top executive says.

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A model of a nuclear-powered container ship is displayed at the Marintec China expo in Shanghai last week. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Mainland China

Chinese shipyards shift focus to advanced vessels as rivals gain ground

Chinese shipbuilders accounted for 65 per cent of global orders in the first three quarters, down from nearly 75 per cent a year earlier.

US-China trade war

Beijing woos foreign firms as China seeks bigger role in global shipbuilding supply chain

From cruise ships to deep-sea ocean drillers, China aims to open its vast shipbuilding industry wider to overseas partners.

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Made in China 2025

China’s CSSC unveils plans for cruise, deep-sea and nuclear-powered vessels

CSSC’s plan to develop specialised vessels is in line with Beijing’s ambition to transform the country into a shipbuilding powerhouse.

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CSSC says its growing strength in building advanced vessels is reflected in the construction of Adora Flora City. Photo: Getty
China travel

China Tourism Group to chart new course in bid to dominate Asia’s cruise market

The combined venture will reportedly operate five cruise ships, with another under construction, as China strives to grow the industry.

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A cruise ship operated by Adora Cruises, a Chinese cruise line, heads towards a port in China’s eastern Shandong province. Photo: Getty Images
US-China trade war

US-China port fee suspension brings backlash as well as relief

Democrats, labour unions and industry analysts condemn decision despite shippers saying the move will give global trade a vital boost.

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US-China relations

US unions slam Trump for giving China a pass on shipbuilding

The US president’s trade truce includes a pause on measures related to China’s actions in the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors.

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United States

As I see it | In Trump’s rare earths rant, US soldiers find a weary world policeman

In the face of China’s rare earth export controls, the US is desperate for alternatives to keep its advanced weapons systems modern and mobile.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gestures as US President Donald Trump delivers a speech during their visit to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington at the US Navy’s base in Yokosuka, Japan, on October 28. Photo: AP
US-China trade war

Why lingering questions remain as US-China port-fee pause buoys shipping outlook

Hope for a permanent agreement persists, and one analyst calls saga ‘a painful reminder how shipping is just a pawn in the superpower tussle for supremacy’.

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A China Shipping cargo container sits stacked at the Port of Long Beach in California earlier this year. Washington and Beijing have agreed to suspend port fees for a year. Photo: AFP
US-China decoupling

Trump approves plan for South Korea nuclear submarine ahead of Xi meeting

US president praised Seoul as ‘serious partner’ in shipbuilding, a sector embroiled in trade tensions, before meeting with Chinese leader.

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US-China trade war

American lawmakers told US must learn from China to revive shipbuilding

Experts urge long-term planning, government funding and consistency to close Beijing’s massive lead in the sector.

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