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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.
Chinese shipyards have suffered a significant decline in new orders this year as the United States steps up efforts to curtail their dominance of the global shipbuilding industry. Photo: COSCO
US-China decoupling

China’s lead in global shipbuilding may already be fading, new data suggests

Chinese shipyards saw new orders plunge 68 per cent in the first half of 2025 as the US stepped up efforts to curtail their dominance.

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US-China trade war

South Korea, Japan step up as US targets China’s shipbuilding – can they succeed?

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US-China trade war

Explainer | US trade officials mull further rollback of port fee rules – what’s different now?

US-China relations

Big shipowners take wind out of US sails, continue to order vessels from China

MSC executive tells forum in Oslo that Chinese shipyards can build new vessels for sector’s energy transition.

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Ships under construction at Shanghai Shipyard in April. Photo: Chinatopix via AP
US-China trade war

Trade war risks could push global shippers to Asia’s arbitration hubs: analysts

Tariffs force a rethink in the shipping industry with legal centres like Hong Kong looking increasingly attractive, analysts say.

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Japan

Appealing offer? Japan offers to assist US shipbuilding amid tariff concerns

Japan is already investing heavily in its own shipbuilding future, driven by strategic concerns over China’s maritime dominance.

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US-China trade war

‘Not a real remedy’: Chinese crane maker raises questions over US tariff plans

Company says higher duties on Chinese cranes would just increase costs for American ports. The US ports association agrees.

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US ports have criticised Washington’s plans to hike tariffs on Chinese-made cranes, saying the duties will only raise their costs. Photo: EPA-EFE
South Korea

China faces headwinds, but it’s not all plain sailing for Korean shipbuilders

America’s plan to impose higher docking fees on vessels made in China will be a blow, but South Korean shipyards face capacity constraints.

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United States

China’s dominance in global shipbuilding

China delivered over half of all new commercial ships worldwide last year. The Trump administration is now seeking to pare this dominance and to revive US shipbuilding.

US-China trade war

China’s shipyards breathe sigh of relief as US scales back port-fee plan

But major shipping carriers face even greater risks as new rules scrap upper limit for levies.

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The US plans to charge hefty fees every time a Chinese-built ship enters an American port, as it looks to counter the dominance of China’s shipyards. Photo: Eugene Lee
US-China trade war

US recalibrates port-fee proposal

Revised from a per-port-call fee, the new proposal was broadened to include foreign – including non-Chinese – vehicle carriers, eventual fees for foreign LNG carriers and levies on Chinese-made port cargo equipment.

Photo: AP
US-China trade war

China vows to hit back at US’ new ‘discriminatory’ port fees

Ministry of Commerce says the fresh levies on Chinese vessels will undermine the global supply chain.

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China’s military

Opinion | How China’s military-industrial complex is reshaping geopolitics

As China’s defence posture alters spheres of influence and trade, its allies and rivals are recalibrating their own military policies.

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US-China decoupling

US fires fresh broadside at China’s shipyards with new executive order

The US has softened a controversial port-fee proposal, but is preparing yet more tariffs targeting China’s dominant shipbuilding sector.

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The US is proposing a string of actions to counter the dominance of China’s shipbuilding sector. Photo: AFP
US-China decoupling

US snubs key shipbuilding summit as global maritime rift deepens

Washington’s attempts to counter China’s shipyards have sent shock waves across the global industry.

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The United States is pushing to rebuild its maritime sector and counter China’s dominance of global shipbuilding. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

Explainer | Why Trump is going full steam ahead to keep China’s shipbuilding in dry dock

US policies to curb China’s perceived influence on global shipping and shipbuilding are facing pushback – but Trump seems unlikely to let up.

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US-China decoupling

‘Extremely disruptive’: US plan to tax Chinese ships sparks industry backlash

Shipping bodies urged US policymakers to scrap a controversial port-fee proposal during hearings in Washington.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China is building new ships at record pace to turbocharge its car exports

Shipyards are rolling out huge vessels capable of carrying 8,600 cars as China’s auto industry seeks to accelerate its global expansion.

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Chinese auto companies including BYD have been investing in car carriers as they seek to accelerate their global expansion. Photo: Xinhua
Donald Trump’s China policy

Explainer | Is China’s shipbuilding industry Donald Trump’s white whale?

The US president plans to establish a shipbuilding office to reward domestic producers and chip away at China’s global market dominance.

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SCMP Highlights

China’s shipbuilding, bid for 2030 maths Olympics: SCMP daily highlights

From rare earth minerals to the tech behind a high orbit radar satellite, here’s a round-up from today’s China and economy coverage.

US-China trade war

US shot across China’s bow in shipbuilding could backfire as allies fall short

Shipbuilders in Japan and South Korea – likely intended to benefit from a US port fee plan targeting China – might not be able to make up for the shortfall.

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China’s shipbuilding industry, the world’s largest, could be affected by a new US plan to raise port fees for companies with Chinese ships in their fleets. Photo: AFP
China manufacturing

China rebuffs US criticism of its world-leading shipbuilders

Ministry of Commerce urges Washington to ‘stop blaming China for US domestic industrial-development problems’.

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Ships are under construction in Taicang, Jiangsu province, on Thursday. Photo: AFP
China manufacturing

US seeks to target China’s shipbuilders. Why are they ‘not overly concerned’?

Washington has been looking into the world-leading dominance among Chinese shipping yards, but ‘we’re not overly concerned’, one executive says.

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US-China relations

US investigation finds China unfairly dominates shipbuilding, sources say

Chinese embassy spokesperson responds to report, says ‘US blames China for its own problems’.

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China exports

China’s shipbuilding industry swells amid a rising tide of global orders

China’s shipyards are set to be the main beneficiaries of a wave of new orders as their South Korean competitors adopt a more “cautious” approach, according to ING.

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China’s shipyards such as this one in the eastern city of Zhoushan dominate the global industry. Photo: VCG
US-China relations

Strengthening US shipbuilding to counter China becomes a focus of lawmakers

Bipartisan bill will be introduced in US Congress in effort to revitalise a diminished industry amid growing Chinese dominance.

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A drastic decline in US maritime capabilities is a prime motivation for the pending Ships for America Act, according to one of its congressional sponsors. Photo: Handout
China manufacturing

As competition heats up, South Korea tops China for shipbuilding orders

South Korean shipwrights took 40 per cent of global intake for ship orders last month, surpassing their Chinese peers for the second time this year.

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China’s military

China ‘could match’ US in military conflict thanks to shipbuilding strength

Observers said China’s ability to rapidly reconstitute its combat losses may give it an advantage, including against ‘hellscape’ strategy.

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