Chinese Shipyards Set New Record for First-Half Ship Orders

Chinese shipyards secured more new shipbuilding orders in the first six months of 2026 than they did in any previous full calendar year, further strengthening the country’s dominance in the global shipbuilding market.

According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, shipyards received orders totaling 121.06 million deadweight tonnes (dwt) between January and June. This represents a 173.1% increase compared to the same period last year and accounts for 82.3% of all global ship orders by deadweight. The six-month total also surpassed the entire 2025 figure of 107.82 million dwt by 12.3%.

The strong momentum continued throughout the second quarter. Between April and June, Chinese shipbuilders secured 61.53 million dwt in new contracts, slightly exceeding the 59.53 million dwt booked during the first three months of the year.

Shipbuilding output also rose significantly during the period, reaching 36.5 million dwt in the first half of 2026, an increase of 51.2% year-on-year. That gave China a 62.2% share of global ship deliveries. Of the total, 20.82 million dwt was completed during the second quarter, compared with 15.68 million dwt in the first.

By the end of June, Chinese shipyards held an orderbook totaling 363.25 million dwt, up 54.9% from a year earlier. This represents 71.2% of all ship tonnage currently on order worldwide. During the second quarter alone, the country’s order backlog expanded by almost 41 million dwt.

Chinese builders continued to dominate orders for the three largest conventional vessel segments—bulk carriers, containerships and tankers—capturing more than 80% of global contracts in each category.

The country also retained a leading position in environmentally friendly shipbuilding, accounting for more than 68% of global green vessel orders, a market share Chinese yards have maintained for the past three years.

The surge in new business is also driving further expansion across China’s shipbuilding industry with previously idle shipyards returning to operation while established builders are investing heavily to increase production capacity.