China to Push LNG Shipbuilding
China would like to compete with South Korea in the field of building liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers building.South Korea has won 86 percent of the world's total orders or 52 orders for LNG carriers so far in 2018, according to Clarkson Research. The remaining nine orders were shared by companies from China, Singapore and Japan.Though China leads offshore engineering products and mega container vessel shipbuilding sectors, the country is a laggard in LNG shipbuilding.A recent report in the country's official media China Daily quoted Tan Naifen, deputy secretary-general of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) as saing: "The global demand for LNG carriers will continue to surge in the long term…
Cosco Closing Down Yards
COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co is planning to cut the number of shipyards that are able to manufacture offshore engineering products from five to two by 2020, China Daily reported. China's third largest shipbuilder by output makes this move as the company's latest effort to cut overcapacity, since the global market is unlikely to see a notable upturn anytime soon. Under the plan, its shipyards in Nantong, Zhoushan and Dongguan will be shut down. The company will keep manufacturing bases in Qidong and Dalian as they are capable of producing high-end offshore engineering products such as polar ships, oil drilling platforms and cattle carriers. A few months ago, China Cosco Shipping Group has integrated all of its shipbuilding assets into one unit – Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry (CSHI).
China Shipbuilding Industry Midgets Reigned In
China signaled that it will cut its vast shipyard army to get industrial growth back on a healthy track this year, as its earning ability falters amid cheap vessel prices, blind expansion and speculation in the shipbuilding sector, according to Xinhua. China will drastically curb the number of shipyards, docks, berths and maintenance facilities it opens, reports Xinhua, citing Li Dong, deputy director-general at the department of equipment industry at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.