Wenling shipbuilding industry expands with orders booked through 2029

Ships are under construction at the shipbuilding base in Songmen town, Wenling, Taizhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

The shipbuilding industry in Wenling, a county-level city in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, maintained strong growth in the first eight months of the year, with the shipbuilding base in Songmen town operating at full capacity and orders at leading shipyards booked through 2029. Ship products made in Wenling are exported to multiple countries.

Zhejiang Tenglong Shipbuilding has built China's first privately funded research vessel, with about 80 percent of its products exported. The company has also developed rotor-sail vessels designed to reduce fuel consumption.

Global fleet renewal and stricter environmental standards are driving demand for new vessels. Wenling's flexible order-taking system, skilled workforce, and local supply chain, with more than 90 percent of components sourced locally, allow its shipyards to handle customized orders from small and medium-sized overseas shipowners while keeping production costs competitive.

Green transformation now plays a key role in the industry's competitiveness. Shipyards have extensively installed exhaust-gas treatment systems, and supporting companies are creating environmentally friendly marine coatings to reduce carbon emissions and resource consumption.

The industry is also shifting towards larger, higher-value vessels over 80,000 metric tons. The increasing number of Wenling-built ocean-going ships is enhancing the products' reputation in global markets.