According to China's Guancha.cn, U.S. maritime industry media, Maritime Executive, recently published an article stating that 'Chinese shipyards will double their new order volume in the first half of 2026.'

The article stated that 'according to the latest data from Clarkson's, Chinese shipyards secured twice as many new orders in the first half of '26 compared to the same period of the previous year,' and introduced that during the same period, out of a total of 1,481 ships ordered worldwide, China received orders for 1,131 ships, totaling 31 million tons, accounting for approximately 72% of the entire market.

Furthermore, it reported that 'South Korean shipyards received orders for 195 ships, equivalent to approximately 8 million CGT, which was a 60% increase year-on-year, but they were significantly outpaced by China, and their global market share in the first half of this year remained at about 20%. It is predicted that China's lead in market share over South Korea will expand to 53 percentage points for the full year 2026.'

The article pointed out that 'China has secured the majority of global shipbuilding orders for four consecutive years, further widening its lead over its closest rival, South Korea.' On the other hand, it stated that 'South Korean shipyards prioritize profit over volume and are selective in accepting orders. Major South Korean players have significantly increased the proportion of highly profitable ship orders, such as LNG tankers. According to Wood Mackenzie, South Korea accounts for approximately two-thirds of the world's total order backlog for LNG tankers.'

Regarding Chinese shipyards, it was pointed out that 'they overwhelmingly secure orders for ship types that allow for mass production, such as small container ships and bulk carriers, which have low complexity and profit margins, but they are also increasingly acquiring some of the world's largest customers.' As an example, it cited MSC, one of the world's leading container shipping companies, stating that 'the company, which already possesses a container fleet of over 1,000 vessels, has placed all orders for the construction of 128 new vessels with Chinese shipyards.'