Changxing Island aims to be a world-leading shipbuilding hub

The 2nd China (Changxing Island) LNG Carrier Industry Chain Development Conference, held on June 20 and themed around "International Cooperation and Market Opportunities", brought together domestic and international entities such as shipyards, enterprises, and research institutes to discuss liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier trends, technological advancements, and collaborative strategies with the goal of building a world-leading modern shipbuilding base.

The 2nd China (Changxing Island) LNG Carrier Industry Chain Development Conference opens. [Photo/WeChat account: shchongming]

Changxing Island, China's first national shipbuilding and marine engineering demonstration zone and Shanghai's strategic hub for maritime industries, has been actively implementing the national maritime power strategy. Building on the inaugural conference, the island aims to enhance innovation, deepen reforms, and foster open cooperation to become a global leader in high-end, green, and intelligent shipbuilding.

The conference released the implementation plan (2025-27) for establishing a world-class modern shipbuilding base on Changxing Island, along with supporting policies. Key targets include:

Growing the island's shipbuilding and marine engineering output to over 120 billion yuan ($16.8 billion) by 2027, representing 70 percent of Shanghai's total.

Establishing a world-class shipbuilding cluster.

Focusing on five key tasks: developing high-end equipment, achieving core technological breakthroughs, building resilient supply chains, establishing flagship factories, and cultivating innovation.

Industry leaders delivered speeches on global development, the green transition, and trends in LNG carrier construction, and a report on China's LNG carrier industry development in 2024 was also launched.