China Captures 81.8% of Global New Shipbuilding Orders in 2026
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- Marine insightChina Secures Over 80% Of Global Ship Orders In First 9 Months, Consolidating Its Maritime Dominance
- jornal portuarioChina Secures Over 80% of Global Ship Orders In First 9 Months, Consolidating Its Maritime Dominance
- Hellenics Shipping newsChina takes 81.8% of global new ship orders in first nine months, cementing its lead in shipbuilding market
China solidified its position as the world leader in new shipbuilding by securing nearly 81.8% of global orders during the first nine months of 2026. The figure comes from official data released by the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), confirming Chinese dominance across the three key indicators of the shipbuilding sector.
The sector's figures
According to the MIIT, in the first nine months of 2026 China completed 58.05 million deadweight tons (DWT) in shipbuilding output, a year-on-year increase of 50.7%, representing 63.6% of the global total. New orders reached 175.29 million DWT, up 163.2% year-on-year, while the accumulated order book stood at 399.13 million DWT at the end of September, 64.8% higher than a year earlier and equivalent to 72.4% of the global market.
Container ships and tankers, the most sought-after categories
Container ships remain the most significant category, accounting for nearly 40% of the global order book, alongside VLCC tankers, whose demand is being led by European shipowners. The geopolitical situation in the Gulf region, with an increase in ship-to-ship transfers outside the Strait of Hormuz, has also driven demand for more crude oil tankers. In addition, of the roughly 930 VLCCs currently in service worldwide, 20% are over 20 years old, generating replacement orders that have likewise largely gone to Chinese shipyards.
Leadership in alternative fuels
China is also advancing the green transition of its shipbuilding industry: it captured 74.1% of the global market for new orders of vessels powered by alternative fuels such as ammonia, hydrogen and methanol, a figure 5.7 percentage points higher than that recorded between January and June.
Factors behind China's dominance
Among the reasons for this dominant position are lower construction costs compared to South Korea and Japan, its main competitors, as well as the availability of raw materials and domestic steel production that sustains self-sufficient supply chains. Chinese shipyards have also closed the technology gap by incorporating advanced systems and equipment to build LNG carriers and dual-fuel vessels at scale, while state-owned banks and financial agencies offer attractive payment terms to foreign shipowners.
