China's shipbuilding industry continued its strong growth momentum in the first half of 2026, maintaining its leading position in the global market across production, new orders and order backlog.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the country's shipbuilding output reached 36.5 million deadweight tons (DWT) during January-June 2026, up 51.2% year on year and accounting for 62.2% of global shipbuilding output.
China also secured 121.06 million DWT in new shipbuilding orders, an increase of 173.1% compared with the same period last year. The figure represented 82.3% of total global new orders, highlighting the country's continued competitiveness in the shipbuilding industry.
By the end of June, China's order backlog reached 363.25 million DWT, up 54.9% year on year and accounting for 71.2% of the global total. The sustained growth reflects robust international demand and China's expanding role in supplying commercial vessels worldwide.
The shipbuilding sector remains an important source of steel demand, particularly for heavy plate products, as higher shipbuilding activity continues to support steel consumption in China.
VietnamSteel by Hoa Sen Group
