Six factors that enabled China to dominate global shipbuilding

The dominance of China in the newbuilding the market has come under intense scrutiny with the investigations by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) – but how did the country’s shipyards achieve such a leading position?

Speaking on the ‘Shipbuilding – a macro view’ panel at Sea Asia 2025 Adam Kent, Managing Director of MSI noted that last year Chinese yards captured around 75% of all new orders and in sectors such as dry bulk and container shipping the share of contracts was around 80%. Read more at Seatrade Maritime.

Despite rig suspensions, ‘path for growth’ remains in the Middle East

MSI senior offshore energy market analyst, Todd Jensen, sees significant prospects for OSV demand in the Middle East over the next three years. Read more at Riviera

US Plans To Charge Up To $3.5 Million Per Port Call For Chinese Bulk Ships

According to MSI, an independent shipping research and consultancy firm, this proposal could cause major disruptions in dry bulk trade, particularly for vessels serving the North American market. Read more at Marine Insight

Which shipping sectors would be worst hit by USTR port fees?

Adam Kent, Managing Director of Maritime Strategies International (MSI) said, “I think the levels will be lower, but what it will do is cause people to shift what vessels are calling at US ports, if they can…”. Read more at Seatrade Maritime

Methanol ships depend on China

According to Maritime Strategies International, the average cost for e-methanol in 2024 was $2,348 per ton of low sulphur fuel oil equivalent, nearly four times the price of low sulphur fuel oil.

Mariam Tzannatos, a decarbonisation analyst at the London-based consultancy, tells EEI: “Pricing is currently a significant barrier to the widespread adoption of renewable methanol in the shipping industry.” Read more at European Energy Innovation.

Cruise orders: a ‘remarkable turnaround’

Twenty-five cruise ship orders were placed in 2024, slightly lower than MSI had previously anticipated, as some orders at the LOI stage in Q4 slipped into 2025 before finally being confirmed. Nevertheless, this marks a remarkable turnaround for an industry making up lost ground in the wake of the pandemic. Read more at Riviera