Against the industry backdrop of accelerating green transformation in the global shipping industry and continuously rising demand for high-end vessels, in the first three quarters of this year, Shanghai’s three major shipbuilding enterprises under China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC) – Jiangnan Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd., Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. – jointly delivered an impressive “report card,” cumulatively delivering 43 ships. These covered multiple high-end vessel types including liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, ultra-large container ships, pure car and truck carriers (PCTC), and very large ethane carriers (VLEC). This not only demonstrates the core competitiveness of China’s shipbuilding industry in the high-end equipment sector but also lays a solid foundation for successfully achieving the annual production targets and a perfect conclusion to the “14th Five-Year Plan” period.
Distinctive Product Deliveries Showcasing High-End Manufacturing Strength
In the first three quarters of this year, Shanghai’s three major shipbuilders leveraged their respective core specializations to form a differentiated delivery pattern: Jiangnan Shipbuilding focused on high-end liquid cargo ships and green ro-ro ships, consolidating its global market position with products like VLECs and LNG dual-fuel PCTCs, while also achieving breakthroughs in the comprehensive localization of core equipment; Hudong-Zhonghua deepened its expertise in ultra-large container ships and LNG carriers, setting new construction speed records and innovating international cooperation models, continuously leading the global LNG carrier market; Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding not only reached the milestone of cumulatively delivering 600 ships and offshore platforms but also advanced the construction of domestic large cruise ships to a new stage. The three enterprises collectively demonstrated the hard manufacturing strength of China’s high-end shipbuilding industry with their “specialized and refined” delivery results.
“Anji Qixin”/Source: Jiangnan Shipbuilding Official WeChat
Jiangnan Shipbuilding delivered 15 ships, including two 14,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships, two 14,000 TEU container ships, two 7,800-cehicle LNG dual-fuel PCTCs, one 9,500-cehicle methanol-ready PCTC, one 99,000 cubic meter VLEC, five 98,000 cubic meter VLECs, and two 175,000 cubic meter MARK III Flex membrane-type LNG carriers. Among them, the core equipment for the 7,800-cehicle LNG dual-fuel PCTC “Anji Qixin” and the 9,500-cehicle methanol-ready car carrier “Anji Maosheng” were localized. The main engine WinGD 7X62DF2.1 and iCER system, LNG containment and supply system, and ro-ro equipment system for the “Anji Qixin,” and the main engine MAN B&W 7S60ME-C10.5-HPSCR and SCRUBBER system, and ro-ro equipment system for the “Anji Maosheng” all came from companies under CSSC. As of the first three quarters of this year, Jiangnan Shipbuilding has delivered 15 VLECs, leading the market share for this ship type in its hand order book.
“Fateh Al Khair”/Source: Hudong-Zhonghua Official WeChat
Hudong-Zhonghua started construction on 14 ships, docked 12, launched 11, conducted sea trials for 11, and completed and delivered 7 ships. Among them, the “Fateh Al Khair” is the latest fifth-generation “Changheng” series LNG carrier independently designed, developed, and built by Hudong-Zhonghua, and also the 52nd LNG carrier built by the company, with a wharf period of only 8 months, setting the shortest construction wharf period record for LNG carriers in the Qatar Energy project. Simultaneously, Hudong-Zhonghua is expected to break again the large LNG carrier delivery record it set in 2024 this year. In terms of order intake, Hudong-Zhonghua signed a batch construction contract for 9,000 TEU-class container ships with Seaspan Corporation using cross-border RMB settlement, and the option order for one 18,600 cubic meter LNG bunkering vessel project for the renowned French energy company TotalEnergies officially took effect. Among these, the Hudong-Zhonghua and Seaspan signing project utilized cross-border RMB settlement, with ICBC Financial Leasing providing financing services, serving as a model for the integrated development of “Chinese manufacturing + Chinese finance” in the global shipping and shipbuilding sectors, pioneering a new model for international ship transactions.
“GRANDE TIANJIN”/Source: Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Official WeChat
Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding delivered 21 ships, including 7000TEU container ships, 8600-cehicle PCTCs, 9000-cehicle PCTCs, and Aframax product tankers. Among them, the first 9000-cehicle PCTC “GRANDE TIANJIN” built for Italy’s Grimaldi Group marked the 600th ship and offshore platform cumulatively completed and delivered by Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding since its first vessel, the 150,000-ton floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO) “Hai Yang Shi You 111,” was delivered in 2003, totaling 102.02 million deadweight tons. It continues to set new records for China’s shipbuilding industry with an average annual delivery efficiency of 27 ships / 4.637 million deadweight tons; the highly anticipated second domestic large cruise ship, “Ada·Huacheng,” achieved its first main generator engine start four months ahead of schedule, and the pre-fabricated cabin push-in work has also been successfully completed.
Scientific and Technological Innovation Bears More Fruit, Leading Green and Intelligent Transformation
In recent years, Shanghai’s three major shipbuilders have closely followed the global trend towards green, low-carbon, intelligent, and efficient ships. With independent innovation as the core driving force, they have continuously broken through key technologies and developed green and intelligent ship types with global competitiveness. Through a series of technological achievements moving from “catching up” to “leading,” they provide “Chinese solutions” for the global shipping industry to achieve green, low-carbon, and sustainable development.
25,000 cubic meter Tank Pressure Enhanced LNG Bunkering Vessel Type /Hudong-Zhonghua Official WeChat
As a leading enterprise in China’s LNG carrier sector, Hudong-Zhonghua consistently adheres to a green and low-carbon core, continuously deepening its expertise in this field, launching future-oriented ship design solutions with market competitiveness, and committed to providing efficient and environmentally friendly clean energy transportation equipment for the shipping industry. In September this year, the 25,000 cubic meter Tank Pressure Enhanced LNG bunkering vessel jointly developed by Hudong-Zhonghua and France’s GTT received Approval in Principle (AiP) certificates from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (BV), China Classification Society (CCS), DNV, and Lloyd’s Register (LR). Multiple innovative designs not only enhance the vessel’s operational flexibility and economy but also provide important technical support for the sustainable development of global low-carbon shipping, setting a new benchmark in the LNG bunkering vessel field. Furthermore, Hudong-Zhonghua’s independently developed fifth-generation “Changheng” series 174,000 cubic meter dual-fuel slow-speed propulsion LNG carrier won the sole CIIF Special Award at the 25th China International Industry Fair.
“BrilliancE®” Containment System (Applicable to 5%Ni Steel)/Source: Jiangnan Shipbuilding Official WeChat
Jiangnan Shipbuilding launched the world’s first 175,000 cubic meter ultra-large LNG carrier type solution equipped with the “BrilliancE® II” containment system, marking a breakthrough achievement for Jiangnan Shipbuilding in LNG carrier R&D and further providing a brand-new Chinese solution for the large-scale maritime transport of LNG. Jiangnan Shipbuilding’s “BrilliancE®” containment system has been successfully applied to its VLEC1.0, VLEC2.0, and VLEC3.0 ship types, with 14 ships delivered and in operation (statistics as of August 2025), and its hand order book market share far exceeds that of South Korea. Additionally, the application solution for rotor sail energy-saving technology on Jiangnan Shipbuilding’s independently developed 93,000 cubic meter very large ammonia carrier (VLAC) officially received an AiP certificate from LR, marking the global first application of rotor sails on a VLAC entering a new commercial stage.
2.3 Million Barrel FPSO “Jaguar”/Source: Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Official WeChat
Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding’s “Development and Industrialization of Deepwater Universal Floating Production Storage and Offloading Unit (FPSO)” project won the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Progress Second Prize. This project pioneered a multi-parameter combined envelope load prediction method applicable to global multi-sea areas, compatible with different mooring methods, and adaptable to different topside module arrangements. It established a universal FPSO design technology system and a green, efficient construction technology system, breaking the international model of single-custom FPSOs and pioneering a new direction for technological and ship type innovation in the FPSO field. The project results were applied to the construction of 6 universal FPSOs at Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, promoting the shift of FPSOs towards standardization and batch production modes, and received the “Manufacturing Single Champion” award from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
