China’s New Shipbuilding Orders Drop Amid U.S. Fees
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The China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Jiangsu. Photo: VCG
New shipbuilding orders received by Chinese yards plummeted 23.5% in the first nine months of 2025, a slump that coincides with the recent imposition of U.S. tariffs aimed at curbing the world-leading industry.
Data released Oct. 17 by the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry show new orders totaled 66.6 million deadweight tons (DWT) through September. The drop in orders for large container ships, a primary target of Washington’s Section 301 tariffs, was particularly sharp, according to maritime consultancy Clarksons.
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- Chinese shipyards' new orders dropped 23.5% in Jan–Sept 2025 to 66.6 million DWT, amid new U.S. tariffs.
- Despite this, China’s order backlog rose 25.3% to 242.2 million DWT, 67.3% of the world total, with large ship orders shifting to Korea/Japan.
- Chinese yards now focus on smaller, tariff-exempt ships, but face competition from emerging shipbuilders in India, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam.
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Who’s Who
- China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
- **China Merchants Jinling Shipyard** received an order in September to build eight 3,100 TEU container ships for Israeli-owned Eastern Pacific Shipping and XT Shipping. This highlights the shipyard's involvement in the growing market for smaller, tariff-exempt vessels amidst U.S. tariffs on larger ships.
- Yangzhou Guoyu Shipbuilding
- Yangzhou Guoyu Shipbuilding (扬州国裕船舶制造有限公司) is a Chinese shipyard that secured a deal in September with Greek shipowner Chartworld Shipping. The agreement is for up to eight feeder container ships similar to the 3,100 TEU vessels ordered from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard by Eastern Pacific Shipping and XT Shipping. This move towards smaller vessels is driven by exemptions from U.S. tariffs.
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