China’s civil shipbuilding surges to record high, offering strategic outlet for steel surplus

Through Jan-Apr’25, China’s civil steel ship output surged to a record 16.9 Mt-LDT, achieving a significant +33.5% YoY growth and more than doubling the average levels seen during the 2020–2022 period.

This robust expansion in shipbuilding, alongside other key initiatives such as increased exports and automotive production, plays a critical role in absorbing China’s steel surplus exacerbated by the slowdown in its domestic real estate sector.

With new orders steadily climbing at Chinese shipyards – particularly for tankers and container ships – shipbuilding is emerging as a strategic and resilient channel for managing China’s excess steel, shielded from global protectionist pressures, over the next 3–5 years.

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