In the first half of 2026, Liaoning Province's shipbuilding industry achieved a historic breakthrough—new shipbuilding orders reached 44.799 million deadweight tonnes (dwt), jumping to first place nationwide. Data show that during this period, the added value of the manufacturing of railway, ship, aerospace and other transport equipment in the province increased by 43.5% year-on-year, while the output of civil steel vessels rose 2.8‑fold year-on-year. The province’s key shipbuilding indicators remained firmly among the top tier in China.

The shipbuilding and offshore engineering industry serves as the core engine of Liaoning's marine economy. It has now formed a coordinated development pattern featuring “central state‑owned enterprises plus private enterprises,” with Dalian Shipbuilding Industry, COSCO Shipping, and Hengli Heavy Industry as the leading players. Batch deliveries of high‑end vessel types and deep‑sea equipment have been realized, and order books remain full. In terms of industrial chain supporting facilities, the province has gathered over 100 enterprises in marine engines, outfitting and other supporting sectors. The first‑phase renovation of the Haifa Yacht final assembly plant has been completed and put into operation, and the site for the Tanhai Yacht base has been finalized, with construction set to begin shortly.

Leading enterprises have played a significant driving role. In the first half of the year, Hengli Heavy Industry secured new orders for 207 vessels, covering bulk carriers, container ships, oil tankers, and very large ammonia carriers (VLACs), among other types. Both the degree of vessel type diversification and the order intake scale of a single shipyard set industry records. Container ships and oil tankers together accounted for over 70% of the total, and eight VLACs were included in the order book for the first time. To date, the company’s cumulative orders on hand exceed 500 vessels, with delivery schedules extending to 2030.

Behind the order surge lies the continuous advancement of digital and intelligent transformation in shipbuilding. Dalian COSCO KHI has introduced more than 30 intelligent production lines, including robotic welding and intelligent processing of stainless steel pipes, automating key processes. Leveraging digital twin and 3D laser scanning technologies, the company has built a simulation verification and collaborative R&D platform that enables multi‑disciplinary concurrent design and virtual simulation optimization, significantly improving design efficiency. Meanwhile, after the full‑process data link was established, the digital collaboration platform uses AI to assist management decision‑making, shifting management from experience‑driven to data‑driven. Welding efficiency has increased by 60%, and the overall shipbuilding cycle has been significantly shortened, setting an industry benchmark for the digital and intelligent transformation of ship manufacturing. The company was successfully rated as an excellent‑level smart factory.

A relevant official from the Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology stated that, going forward, the province will continue to promote Dalian in building a world‑class manufacturing base for high‑tech ships and high‑end offshore equipment, seek breakthroughs in green and smart ships, deep‑sea equipment, cruise ships and yachts, and accelerate efforts to fill gaps in key marine supporting parts. At the same time, it will revitalize traditional marine manufacturing through “smart transformation and digital upgrade,” and drive the shipbuilding and offshore engineering industry to upgrade toward high‑end, intelligent, green, and integrated development.