China’s state-run shipping COSCO, the world’s largest shipowner, has placed a massive order for 87 newbuildings with yards under China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC), sealing the largest single domestic shipbuilding contract ever awarded in the country.
The deal, worth more than RMB50bn (about $7.07bn), includes containerships, tankers, bulk carriers and multipurpose vessels, and will be distributed across several of CSSC’s leading facilities, including Jiangnan Shipyard, Guangzhou Shipyard International, Wuchang Shipbuilding, Dalian Shipbuilding, Beihai Shipbuilding and Chengxi Shipyard.
According to domestic sources, the orders involve COSCO Shipping Lines, COSCO Shipping Bulk, COSCO Shipping Energy, COSCO Shipping Development and COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers.
The vessels are expected to feature next-generation energy-efficient designs, alternative-fuel-ready configurations and digital, AI-enabled systems — all in line with the IMO’s decarbonisation pathway and China’s own drive to modernise and secure its supply chain.
The latest package adds to COSCO’s wider expansion plan laid out last year, which already includes a variety of newbuildings spread across several Chinese shipyards. That momentum has carried into this year. COSCO recently pushed ahead with a $1.75bn programme for 29 ships across multiple segments and has also signed up for additional newcastlemax bulkers, strengthening its position as the most active investor in China’s large bulk carrier market in 2025.
