Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co., Ltd., (Jiangnan Shipyard), Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd. (Hudong-Zhonghua), and Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (SWS), three major shipyard subsidiaries of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited, delivered a total of 78 new vessels last year.
A China-made ship at sea. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Advanced ships delivered
Despite the challenges brought by the turbulent international circumstances and an industrial downturn, the three vessel-building giants in Shanghai still fulfilled their orders of advanced ships through managerial foresight and outstanding productivity. Their state-of-the-art technologies also contributed to the companies’ higher values.
With a focus on large-scale production of high-end, environmentally friendly vessels, Jiangnan Shipyard enhanced production and delivery efficiency to boost its competitiveness. In 2025, the shipyard completed 28 orders, including 6 large container ships, 10 very large ethane carriers, three liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers with a volume of 175,000 cubic meters for each, and four pure car and truck carriers. As a leading producer of large container ships and advanced gas carriers, the company is able to meet diverse demands.
Hudong-Zhonghua, specializing in very large container ships and LNG carriers, saw significant development in 2025. It delivered 21 vessels, including eleven 174,000-cubic-meter LNG carriers, and four dual-fuel container carriers capable of carrying 24,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) and using both LNG and fossil fuels. Notably, the Oasis of the Seas, the 11th LNG ship delivered, was completed within 16 months, setting a global record for the fastest construction of NO96-type LNG carriers. The CMA CGM Vendome, a 24,000-TEU container ship with a dual fuel system, is the 100th large container ship delivered by the company. Now, more than 50 orders of LNG carriers and 37 container ships are lined up for delivery before 2029.
SWS delivered 29 ships, totaling in 2.7 million tons of payloads, exceeding its annual target by seven ships. Of these ships were nineteen 114,000-ton Aframax product tankers, including the world’s first one with sails as boosters, two 15,800-ton Suezmax oil tankers, seven car carriers and a 7,000-TEU container ship. The construction of China’s second domestically produced large cruise ship, undertaken by the company, is approaching completion with an efficiency 20 percent higher than that of the first. It was expected to undock in March, conduct a trail sail by the end of May, and be delivered before 2027.
Innovation and transformation
In 2025, the three Shanghai shipbuilders prioritized innovation to promote the low-carbon development of China’s maritime industry. A number of vessels with low-carbon or even zero-carbon technology were designed.
At the 2025 Marintec China exhibition held in Shanghai in December, a variety of ships were on display and granted certificates by the four major international classification societies: Lloyd’s Register, Det Norske Veritas the American Bureau of Shipping and Bureau Veritas.
The three leading shipyards have strategically aligned their capabilities with China’s supply and industrial chains. They undertook maritime transportation of China’s vehicles to the international market and independently developed all the components crucial for the vessels. These shipbuilders also advanced their digital and smart transformation in 2025, integrating cutting-edge technologies into the entire manufacturing process, thereby boosting the quality and quantity of products.
Their remarkable accomplishments in 2025 exemplify the high-quality development of China’s shipping industry. Aiming to build China into a maritime powerhouse, they are committed to deepening sci-tech innovation and facilitating their digital and smart transition.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
