Reference News Network, December 25 report: On December 23, the French newspaper Les Échos published an article written by journalist Raphaël Balagnier, titled "Building a 100-meter ship in four months": China's astonishing shipbuilding speed. The following is a translation of the article: At 11:30 a.m., workers in Nantong city were hungry. In this industrial city on the Yangtze River, located 125 kilometers north of Shanghai and with nearly 8 million people, groups of workers wearing safety helmets and tied with safety ropes gradually left the shipyard and rushed into nearby small restaurants to swallow a bowl of noodles quickly.

In the quietness, steaming noodles were eaten with a swishing sound, interrupted occasionally by the gulps of beer or cola. A cigarette served as a dessert, followed by time spent on social media. Then the workers returned to their posts, continuing to assemble bulk carriers, cargo ships, tankers, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport ships that are being exported from China to all over the world.

Xiao Yang, 38 years old, is one of them. For seven years, this young man has worked at the Nantong COSCO Shipping Kawasaki Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Chinese giant COSCO Shipping and Japanese Kawasaki Heavy Industries, established in Nantong in 1995.

Xiao Yang is responsible for polishing the ship's hull, and he is confident that he has a stable job.

China's shipbuilding industry is moving forward at full speed. According to data from the China Shipbuilding Industry Association, in 2024, China's completed shipbuilding volume, new orders received, and backlog orders accounted for 55.7%, 74.1%, and 63.1% of the global market share, respectively. In 2024 alone, Nantong assembled or repaired more than 300 ships. This city builds about 10% of China's ships and has around 300 related companies. From January to May 2025, the output value of Nantong's shipbuilding industry reached 11 billion euros (approximately 91.1 billion yuan - note from this site).

"It takes an average of four to five months from the start of construction to the first sea trial for a 100-meter-long ship," said Xiao Yang. Another worker, who was purchasing materials at a professional hardware store, confirmed: "In two years, we can build at least four ships. Most of the orders come from overseas."

Nantong clearly demonstrates China's weight in the shipbuilding industry. Over the past 40 years, through investment and a series of policy plans, China has become a giant in this field. However, this brings new dependency risks to Europe, similar to those in the rare earth and electric vehicle sectors.

An industry insider predicted: "China's goal is to defeat South Korea, which still holds a 30% market share, and reach an 80% share. Once China masters all the technology, they will win almost all the global markets."

This source pointed out that China's shipbuilding prices are 5% to 10% lower than international prices. "However, in ship repairs, China's prices are 50% cheaper. If the customer pays promptly, we can provide round-the-clock service seven days a week," joked the head of a Nantong ship repair company.

Fast and high-quality production, dedicated service to customers, continuous advancement up the value chain, relying on long-term planning... Since the early 21st century, China has replicated its successful path in the battery and electric vehicle industries in the shipbuilding sector. China first started with the simplest ship types, such as bulk carriers and cargo ships, benefiting from the technology brought by joint ventures.

The 2008-2009 global financial crisis forced small private shipyards out of the market, leading to consolidation in the industry around large state-owned enterprises. In 2010, China became the world's largest shipbuilder. Since then, Beijing has been able to tackle more complex ship types, such as large cruise ships, LNG carriers, and aircraft carriers, known in the industry as the "three jewels on the crown."

In 2020, China's epidemic control was better than other parts of the world, taking over international shipowner orders that could not be produced due to the shutdown of local shipyards. At the same time, international freight rates and ship prices soared, and Chinese shipbuilding companies accumulated huge wealth, reinvesting in technological research and development and capacity expansion.

Five years later, the results have already become evident. In 2024, China State Shipbuilding Corporation delivered the first domestically built large cruise ship, "AIDA Magic City," and in April this year, the second domestically built cruise ship completed the floating in the dock. In the highly technical field of LNG carriers, China is also rapidly catching up with South Korea. (Translated by Zhao Ke Xin)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7587625120567394851/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author."