Since this year, China's shipbuilding industry has maintained a good development momentum, shipbuilding three major indicators continue to lead the international market share, ship exports to achieve a slight increase. China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products Ship Branch industry director Li Yajun expects that China's ship exports will still grow this year compared with last year, and is expected to reach about $26.5 billion.

Export market is more diversified

Data show that from January to July this year, China's ship exports amounted to 14.4 billion U.S. dollars, up 5.8% year-on-year. In terms of export ship type, so far this year, bulk carriers, tankers, container ships still ranked in the top three of China's ship exports. Data show that from January to July 2022, in China's total ship exports, bulk carriers accounted for 24.2%, oil tankers accounted for 16.3%, container ships accounted for 15.7%, floating or diving when drilling or production platforms accounted for 14.7%, motorized multipurpose ships accounted for 5.7%, light ships, fireboats, crane ships and other ships that are not mainly navigation accounted for 4.2%, deadweight in 20,000 tons and below of motorized ro-ro vessels accounted for 3.7%.

At present, Asia is still the largest ship export market of China. Data show that from January to July 2022, China's ship exports to Asia amounted to 7.4 billion U.S. dollars, up 6.8% year-on-year, accounting for 51.4%; China's ship exports to the European market amounted to 2.5 billion U.S. dollars, down 9.2% year-on-year, accounting for 17.5%; China's ship exports to the African market amounted to 2.07 billion U.S. dollars, up 35.6% year-on-year, accounting for 14.4%. "Since this year, with the 'One Belt and One Road' international cooperation continues to strengthen, especially the China-Africa economic and trade cooperation continues to expand and deepen, Chinese ship enterprises continue to develop new markets abroad, China's ship export market shows the characteristics of diversification. In addition, China's ship trade to Africa has also achieved a faster growth." Li Yajun said.

Exports still face challenges

Since this year, China's ship exports in the realization of a small increase in the amount of still facing many challenges. In this regard, Li Yajun put forward a variety of suggestions for the development of China's shipbuilding industry: for the high degree of export orientation of ship manufacturing, Li Yajun believes that Chinese shipbuilding enterprises should pay great attention to the changes in the international situation and prepare for a rainy day. "At present, more than 90% of China's new ship orders for foreign trade orders, the ship manufacturing industry is facing a complex and severe situation at home and abroad, uncertainties increase, seriously plagued the ship enterprises' business activities. Therefore, it is recommended that ship enterprises pay great attention to changes in the international situation, do a good job in response to the exchange rate, raw materials, supply chain and other factors such as changes in the plan." Li Yajun said.

Chinese ship enterprises should strengthen the maintenance of export markets and customers, and make every effort to protect the stability of orders and customers. More than two years of the impact of the epidemic and the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine since this year on the Chinese ship exports of the market structure, customer structure, ship type structure, as well as ship prices have had an impact. Li Yajun suggested that Chinese ship enterprises should pay keen attention to customer demand and other internal and external changes, and timely adjust the market layout and response strategy as appropriate.

At the same time, Chinese ship enterprises should fully guard against performance risks and ensure that handheld orders are delivered on schedule. "At present, most Chinese ship enterprises handheld new ship orders are sufficient, full of shipbuilding tasks. In this case, enterprises should guard against the occurrence of situations that may affect normal performance, ensure that materials and equipment, etc. arrive on time, guarantee smooth logistics, and have contingency plans to ensure that the ship is delivered on schedule." Li Yajun said.

Under the guidance of "double carbon" policy, Chinese shipbuilding enterprises should seize the new opportunities brought by the development of "green ship" technology. "In recent years, orders for green-powered ships have shown explosive growth, and include container ships, oil tankers, bulk carriers and other ship types. Therefore, it is suggested that Chinese shipping enterprises should speed up the R&D and innovation of green ship technology, seize the new opportunity of green ship development without losing time, improve the intelligent manufacturing capability and promote the transformation and upgrading of enterprises." Li Yajun said.

In addition, China's shipbuilding industry should also practice its internal strength and continuously improve its competitive ability. "Continue to strengthen the introduction, training and improvement of industry-wide leading talents and high-end design and research and development talents, increase the research efforts of core equipment, systematically sort out the 'neck' technology and equipment in the field of shipbuilding industry, supporting stable support funds and resources; implement major technology and equipment research projects, demonstration projects , sound industrial infrastructure support system, improve the quality of industrial development." Li Yajun said.