Chinese shipyards strengthen global leadership with strong growth in production, new orders and exports
Beijing – China consolidated its position as world leader in shipbuilding in the first quarter of 2026, recording significant growth in all major industry indicators. Despite the other two Asian giants, South Korea and Japan, also posting impressive results, China continues to hold the largest share of the global market for both newbuildings and orders received.
Between January and March, Chinese shipyards completed newbuildings for 15.68 million deadweight tonnes, an increase of 46% compared to the same period of the previous year. This figure represents over 57% of global production. Even more marked was the growth of new orders, which rose to 59.53 million deadweight tonnes, almost tripling year-on-year and accounting for approximately 85% of the global total.
The order book also reached record levels, standing at over 322 million deadweight tonnes, with a growth of 43.6% compared to 2025. China’s share of global outstanding orders thus approaches 70%, confirming the dominance of the country’s shipyards in the international market.
The sector also continues to be strongly export-oriented. In the first quarter, ships destined for foreign markets represented over 96% of completed production and more than 94% of new orders received. The total value of Chinese naval exports reached almost 15 billion dollars in the first three months of the year.
The growth of Chinese shipbuilding reflects the strong international demand for new ships and the country’s industrial competitiveness in the main maritime transport segments. In a context marked by the energy transition and the renewal of global fleets, China continues to strengthen its central role in world naval production.
