China’s shipbuilding activity has grown with a wave of new yards and major expansion across shipbuilding groups, the largest capacity growth in years, according to the latest 181-page survey of the shipbuilding market by supplier BRS Group.
China has reached a market share of orders of 70.9% by the end of 2025, up from 66.7% in 2024 and 57.3% in 2023, according to BRS data, while the state-backed CSSC now counts a staggering number of more than 310,000 workers. China accounted for 72.3% of the world’s new orders and 56.6% of the world’s exports last year. China’s total shipbuilding output increased by 10.5% last year, from 48m dwt to 53m dwt.
The state-sponsored CSSC now counts a staggering number of over 310,000 employees.
At least seven defunct shipyards have been revived or are in the process of reopening, while another dozen existing facilities are expanding, and more domestic-focused yards are continuing to enter international markets, according to BRS.
Leading the charge is the China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Group, which has gone in many directions at once. CMI has taken over the former Qingdao Yangfan Shipyard, which now operates as CMI Qingdao Shipyard and focuses on the newbuilding of large vessels across a range of sectors, including tankers and containers. It also reorganized Nanjing Dongze Shipyard, now CMI Nanjing Shipyard, for large-scale stainless steel tanker construction up to MR size. The third operation sees CMJL Jinling bring Qingshan Shipyard in Wuhan to life for small vessels and vessels under 30,000 dwt.
Xiangshui Wanlong has redeveloped the Sanjia Heavy Industry site in Northern Jiangsu, a project under construction that will eventually include a new berth for 80,000 dwt and 50,000 dwt ships, five large slipways and a series of 200- and 600-tonne gantry cranes. Two additional 100,000 dwt are planned for the second phase, with an annual capacity of 1m dwt. New build orders for supply containers and newcastlemaxes from home owners have now been secured.
Ningbo Penghong Heavy Industry has revived the former Beilun Lantian Shipbuilding yard, formerly a small brick-building contractor, which is currently building 25,900 dwt supply ships and chemical tankers for domestic owners as well as ten 6,000 dwt bulk orders from Maris Fiducia.
Jiangxi Xin Xiangsheng has renovated the old Jiujiang Xiangsheng Shipbuilding facility, which has a 50,000 dwt drydock, two 35,000 dwt slipways and one 30,000 dwt slipway. Newbuilding capacity stands at around 200,000 metric tonnes per year, and the yard has already secured orders for a 7,999 dwt chemical tanker and a 1,360 dwt product tanker from a Singaporean owner.
Shandong Fulton Shipbuilding has redeveloped the Baibuting Shipyard in Rushan under the Redhill Group banner, using three slipways capable of handling vessels of up to 35,000 dwt. Shandong LianMeida Shipbuilding has restored the former Penglai Bohai Shipyard in Penglai, currently undergoing renovation, does starts in the third quarter of 2026.
Perhaps the most prominent story involves the old Rongsheng shipyard, which has been renamed Wuhu Shipyard after two previous attempts at restoration failed. The medium-sized operator now leases two of the four large drydocks on site to build a range of newcastlemaxes.
Extensions to existing yards are equally important. CSSC Hudong-Zhonghua has closed its Shanghai hub and commissioned a new yard on Changxing Island, which has doubled its annual LNG supply from six to seven vessels, previously more than twelve.
Guoyu Shipyard, relaunched in 2024, bought Peninsula Shipyard and Panzhi Shipyard in Zhoushan, and both sites are expected to open in late 2026, while building a new heavy cape platform at its Yangzhou facility.
Yangzijiang has started construction of a new facility, Yangzi Hongyuan Shipbuilding, which is expected to be operational later in 2026 with a dry VLCC with a crane of 1,800 tons and a capacity of 800,000 dwt per year.
Zhoushan Ningshing has set up a block making line and renovated its Beilun Huanhai plant in Ningbo, to get dry land for chemical tank construction. Hubei Hechuang heavy industry received new brick making and painting workshops as well as three new roads. Zhoushan Changhong has taken over Zengzhou Heavy Industry as a new shipyard, with an 800-meter-deep water berth and slipways capable of handling ships of up to 100,000 dwt. Zhejiang Xin Xinzhou Shipbuilding has received government approval for a RMB1bn, 300,000 dwt-per-year capacity expansion due to start in mid-2027, with new 400-tonne cranes already installed and a new VLGC building. Dajin Shipyard has purchased the former Jiangsu Shenghua yard in Zhenjiang, adding one shipyard of up to 100,000 dwt for the construction of bulk carriers and ultramax.
BRS also highlights several home-focused yards that are making their first forays into international markets. Shandong Port Marine Equipment has received an order for multipurpose vessels from Bohwa, while Anhui Port Marine Equipment has taken orders for livestock carriers from 44 South Shipping and deck carriers from Winning Group. Panjin Dajin Heavy Industry has secured a heavy order for moving decks from a Korean customer. Most impressively, Shandong Jining New Energy has won an order from CMA CGM for a 182 teu electric vessel and has sent parts for two 2,000 dwt vessels to be assembled in Tanzania.
Taken together, the BRS data paint a picture of a Chinese shipbuilding industry that is not only consolidating its authority but actively expanding – adding capacity across every size segment, ship type and market position at a pace that will have major implications for global new supply in the coming years.
The main difference between today and the first growth of the Chinese shipyard in the first decade of the 21st century is that this time it did not focus on green areas, a sector that was very concentrated in the last 15 years.
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