China’s shipbuilding industry has taken a significant step towards environmentally friendly production.
The state-owned shipping company Cosco Shipping Specialized Carriers took delivery of the “Green Rizhao” on 15 January. The 77,000 tdw general cargo ship was built with zero carbon emissions and has been certified by the China Classification Society (CCS). The maiden voyage of the “Green Rizhao” will include the transportation of machinery and containers from Chinese ports to Brazil.
China’s shipbuilding industry is currently experiencing a boom. In 2024, the country was responsible for 55.7% of global ship deliveries and 74.1% of global orders. China’s shipbuilding potential has expanded to include megamax container ships, LNG tankers and cruise ships such as the “Adora Magic City”. A second cruise ship (“Adora Flora City”) is currently under construction.
China orders world’s largest LNG tankers
In addition, the China Shipbuilding Group and the Qatar Energy Group signed contracts last year for the construction of 18 plus 6 of the world’s largest LNG tankers, each with a capacity of 271,000 m³. In April 2024, a contract was concluded for the construction of an initial 18 LNG tankers. In September 2024, this contract was extended to include an order for six additional LNG tankers. This is currently the world’s largest single shipbuilding order.
According to MarineLink, the country is also positioning itself for the construction of ships using alternative fuels and has increased its share of global shipbuilding orders in this area from 31.5% in 2021 to 78.5% in 2024.
In early January 2025, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) determined that China’s targeted dominance in the global shipbuilding, shipping and logistics sectors is “unreasonable” and burdens or restricts U.S. trade, which is considered “actionable” under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act.
A Section 301 investigation was initiated at the request of the United Steelworkers union and four other unions back in April 2024 and is looking into China’s dominance in the aforementioned sectors. However, no specific measures for Chinese shipbuilding, such as increasing tariffs or port fees on Chinese-built ships, have yet been adopted. (rup)
