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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.
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 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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China's military weapons

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

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United States

Trump announces new class of ‘battleships’ named after himself

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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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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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A vessel is seen at the Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia in March 2019. Photo: AP
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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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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A National Security Multi-Mission vessel pictured at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo Hanwha Philly Shipyard
US-China trade war

To counter China, Trump’s Asia trip seen shoring up shipbuilding with key allies

With China dominating the global shipbuilding industry, and amid a port-fee dispute with Washington, the US president sees new strategic partnerships as critical.

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US President Donald Trump has committed to reviving America’s nearly defunct shipbuilding industry, including through strategic partnerships with allies such as South Korea and Japan. Photo: AFP
China exports

‘Clear edge’: why China’s shipyards are still dominant despite US port fee drama

China’s shipbuilders already lead in terms of capacity, price and quality – and they will benefit from the green transition, insiders say.

US-China decoupling

Ships divert, directors resign as US-China port fees rock shipping industry

Global carriers scramble to adapt as new US and Chinese duties take effect – and first vessel reportedly hit with 4.5 million yuan charge.

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US-China trade war

As China and US impose rival port fees, global shipping braces for disruption

But analysts say Beijing has left room to negotiate and could adjust its fees based on Washington’s actions.

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A China Shipping cargo container sits stacked at the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, California, on April 10. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

China issues retaliatory rules ahead of US port fee targeting Chinese vessels

Beijing’s countermeasures seen as further complicating shipping routes connecting US and China, but the number of affected vessels could be small.

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My Take

My Take | Chinese ferries caught in political storm in a Canadian teacup

With hardline ex-transport minister Chrystia Freeland now appointed as special representative for Ukraine, British Columbia may yet get its four vessels built by China Merchants Industry without more controversy.

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United States

The View | How will Trump revive US shipbuilding after years of protectionist rot?

Industrial policy, alongside tech and steel support, made shipbuilding in Japan, South Korea and China competitive. Can the US do it too?

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Workers building a vessel at a shipyard in Yizheng in Jiangsu province, China, on August 25. China made a big push in shipbuilding at the turn of the century. Today it’s the undisputed leader in ship production, with its shipyards receiving the lion’s share of new orders. Photo: CNS Photo via Reuters
Made in China 2025

China monitors shipbuilding capacity to prevent oversupply

Authorities have established a checks-and-balances mechanism to ensure the industry’s sustainable growth.

The Hanwha Marine Shipyard in Yantai, Shandong province. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
China economy

‘Historical evolution’: China’s shipping firms pivot amid looming US port fees

The shipping industry is undergoing ‘unprecedented’ changes as the US prepares to hit Chinese-linked vessels with steep levies.

China manufacturing

China is the world’s top shipmaker. Can US-South Korea deals test that?

Trump’s efforts to make US shipbuilding industry more competitive could test Chinese shipmakers down the line, but analyst notes ‘pretty much every other market remains open to China’.

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US-China relations

Trump-Lee meeting shows limits to China’s Asia wooing

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is set to meet Donald Trump, straight after a trip to Japan, demonstrating that China has so far failed to weaken relations between the US and two key Asian allies.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP
Taiwan

Why are 7 large mainland Chinese cargo ships sailing in the Taiwan Strait?

Civilian fleet spotted deviating from normal routes suggests joint amphibious landing exercise with PLA is in the works amid Taiwan tensions.

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The Bohai Zuanzhu, one of the seven civilian vessels spotted in the Taiwan Strait, is Asia’s largest ro-ro passenger ship by tonnage and capacity. Photo Handout
Vietnam

‘It takes time’: China’s shipping edge likely safe from South Korean investments

New ventures in Vietnam and the Philippines may ease domestic constraints but unlikely to challenge Chinese dominance, analysts say.

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Aerospace: Industry Trends

Why China’s first rocket recovery ship is a milestone for its space programme

The launch of the drone ship marks a step forward for China’s push to develop reusable rockets, a technology currently monopolised by the US.

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