COSCO Advances $1.1bn Tianjin Shipyard Expansion Project

COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry is pressing ahead with plans to develop an RMB8 billion ($1.1 billion) shipbuilding complex in Tianjin that will feature two VLCC-sized drydocks, further expanding China’s fast-growing shipbuilding capacity.

According to newly released environmental documents, the new shipyard will cover approximately 145.9 hectares in Tianjin’s Lingang Economic Area and extend along roughly 1,736 meters of coastline.

At the heart of the project will be two large drydocks, each measuring 550 meters in length. One will be 80 meters wide and the other 72 meters, with both designed to build vessels of up to 300,000 dwt.

The facility will also include three outfitting berths capable of handling 300,000 dwt ships, although the third berth will be completed during a later phase of the project. In addition, plans call for a smaller materials terminal and approximately 448,000 square meters of workshops and production buildings.

The new yard will primarily focus on constructing large bulk carriers and containerships, with the first vessels expected to be delivered in 2029. COSCO also intends to use the facility to build higher-value and more technically advanced ship types.