China Maintains Global Shipbuilding Leadership for Sixteenth Consecutive Year in 2025

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) confirmed in early February 2026 that the People's Republic of China secured the top position in the global shipbuilding industry throughout the 2025 calendar year, marking the sixteenth consecutive year of global leadership. This sustained dominance is evident across the three critical metrics: production volume, new orders secured, and the total order backlog, indicating an established industrial advantage.

China's total production volume for 2025 reached 53.69 million deadweight tons (dwt), an 11.4% year-on-year increase that accounted for 56.1% of worldwide output. New orders booked during the year totaled 107.82 million dwt, representing a 69% share of the international market. Furthermore, the order backlog as of December 31, 2025, stood at 274.42 million dwt, a substantial 31.5% increase compared to the end of 2024, comprising 66.8% of the global total. This significant forward workload suggests a production pipeline extending three to four years, providing operational stability for Chinese shipyards well into the latter half of the decade.

The competitive strength of the Chinese sector is further demonstrated by the fact that six distinct Chinese groups rank within the global top ten for deliveries, new orders, and order backlogs. This market penetration extends to specialized segments, with China securing the leading position in new orders for 16 out of 18 major ship categories. For context, Chinese shipyards surpassed the 50% threshold of global output in 2023, reaching 35 million Compensated Gross Tonnage (CGT) that year, according to a Clarksons Research study.

The MIIT's assessment highlights a significant qualitative evolution alongside quantitative scale, specifically noting the successful delivery of world-class green and intelligent vessels. This focus aligns with broader 2025 industry trends emphasizing sustainability, energy transition, and automation, moving toward greener solutions such as LNG propulsion. Chinese shipbuilders are advancing in areas including ammonia-fueled ships, hybrid propulsion systems, and intelligent navigation, in line with the 15th Five-Year Plan (2025–2030) goals for low-emission vessels and smart shipyard upgrades.

This strategic direction is supported by a robust domestic ecosystem, including a large fleet of oceangoing commercial ships and control over at least 110 commercial ports across 67 nations, which underpins sustained demand for new tonnage. As Bian Yongzu, executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine, noted, this top position is closely tied to the country's overall economic fundamentals and its role as the world's largest trader in goods.