BIMCO: Container Ship Orders are Driving China's Shipyard Surge

More than any other sector, ocean freight has driven the surge in shipyard activity over the past year, according to BIMCO, and it has boosted the fortunes of Chinese shipbuilding in particular.

“Container ships dominate both the order book and its growth over the past 12 months. They account for 30% of CGT on order and 68% of the increase during the past year,” says Niels Rasmussen, the chief shipping analyst at BIMCO.

The vast majority of those orders are going to Chinese yards. Fully 81 percent of the container ship orderbook is held by Chinese shipbuilders, BIMCO assesses.

All of the other major sectors are dominated by China too - tankers, gas tankers, bulkers, and ro/ros - with Chinese yards holding 72 percent or more of the orderbook in each category.

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