Dalian charts green route to becoming shipbuilding leader

陈小将

An intern practices automated welding at a training center of Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co in Dalian, Liaoning province, in June. YANG QING/XINHUA

Amid the strong growth in China's shipbuilding industry, Dalian is navigating a course to becoming a global leader in green ship and marine equipment construction, repairs and retrofitting work.

The northeastern port city in Liaoning province is aiming to surpass an industrial scale of 100 billion yuan ($13.83 billion) in 2027.

In the Dalian Changxing Island Economic and Technological Development Zone, shipbuilder Hengli Heavy Industries has already solidified its manufacturing credentials in a relatively short period of time.

At the beginning of the year, two 82,000-deadweight-ton bulk carriers were delivered, marking the first time the company completed the delivery of two ships in a single day since it began full operations in 2023.

The new shipbuilder achieved other breakthroughs last year, including its first ship delivery, its first engine delivery, and the launch of its first 306,000-metric-ton very large crude carrier (VLCC).

"Currently, our shipbuilding orders are scheduled until 2028," said Chen Jianhua, chairman of Hengli Group. Hengli Heavy Industries is designing and constructing high-value green ships of the highest standards and the fastest speeds, Chen added.

"After achieving full production, it is expected we will process 2.3 million tons of steel plates annually, build 150 large ships, and produce 180 engines, becoming the world's largest single shipyard," he said.