(Observation of the Two Sessions) How far is China from the "world's first" shipbuilding power?

　　China News Service, Beijing, March 9 (Reporter Pang Wuji) In 2021, international shipping costs will soar, and "one ship is hard to find" and even "one container is hard to find" is frequently staged.

This also brought fire to the shipbuilding industry in the upstream of the industrial chain.

China's major shipyards have seen a surge in orders, with Jiangnan Shipbuilding, Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding and other shipyards producing at full capacity, with shipments scheduled for 2024 or even 2025.

Data map: Aerial photography successfully achieved China's first large cruise ship floating in the dock.

(UAV photo) Photo by China News Agency reporter Yin Liqin

　　According to data previously released by the China Shipbuilding Industry Association, the growth rate of new shipbuilding orders in China in 2021 is more than 20 percentage points higher than that of the world.

According to data from Clarksons, a British shipbuilding and maritime analysis agency, in January this year, China undertook orders of 1.47 million revised gross tons, accounting for nearly half of the world's total.

　　China has become the world's largest shipbuilding country, but this does not mean that China's shipbuilding industry can "sit back and relax".

In an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Agency, Hu Keyi, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, deputy chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Democratic National Construction Association, and director of the Science and Technology Committee of Jiangnan Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd., said that China is currently the world leader in the construction of many ship types. However, from the perspective of construction efficiency, there is still a certain gap between Chinese shipyards and the most advanced Korean shipyards.

　　Especially for some "difficult-to-build" ship types, such as LNG (liquefied natural gas) ships, Chinese shipyards still lag behind the world's most advanced level in terms of production capacity and construction level.

At present, only individual shipyards can build luxury cruise ships.

In the construction of high value-added ships, such as: LNG ships, super large container ships, etc., in fact, most of the global orders are taken by Korean companies.

　　Liu Zheng, deputy to the National People's Congress and former chairman of Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Group Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, also believes that China's shipbuilding industry must have a high degree of crisis awareness and cannot rest on its laurels. On the basis of digesting and absorbing work, continuously improve the ability to re-innovate, improve the ability of key core technology and equipment research and development, and basic research to avoid the occurrence of "stuck neck".

　　Hu Keyi has been engaged in the shipbuilding industry for more than 40 years and has witnessed how China's shipbuilding industry has caught up and stepped onto the world stage.

The first ship of the "China Jiangnan Type" Panamanian bulk carrier, which he participated in the design, was listed on the International Shipping Exchange in London after it was delivered in 1987, and was named "China Jiangnan Type".

"As a single ship type is listed, it has become a selection in the international shipping market, indicating that it has a certain reputation, which is of symbolic significance in the history of Chinese shipbuilding," said Hu Keyi.

　　Since then, China's shipbuilding industry has developed rapidly.

From 2005 to 2006, China's shipbuilding production capacity has increased significantly, and subsequently, the shipbuilding industry's technical level and independent supporting capabilities have also increased significantly.

Now that a new wave of global ship market is coming, Hu Keyi said that this time there is less panic, and the overall competitiveness of shipbuilding enterprises, supporting industries and industrial basic supply chains is relatively strong.

　　He said that at present, most shipyards in China are "more full", and their orders and production capacity are relatively saturated, but this does not mean that shipyards can "lay down and make money".

Affected by the sharp rise in commodity prices, the prices of raw materials required for shipbuilding have been rising steadily, and the profit margins of shipyards have been severely backlogged.

If there are too many orders and the exchange rate fluctuates sharply, the shipyard may not be able to make money. "So the more orders, the better. This is a complicated choice."

　　Last year, affected by the surge in international shipping prices, the demand for container ships was strong, and some container ships that had been used for 20 years were sold at high prices.

Hu Keyi said that although the shipyard will receive more orders for the construction of container ships, this is a special situation under the influence of the epidemic. In the future, with the gradual recovery of shipping efficiency, there may be a surplus of container ships next year or even in the second half of this year. Do not blindly expand production capacity.

　　In what areas will China's shipbuilding industry need the most breakthroughs and innovations in the future?

Hu Keyi believes that it may be in the construction of green "zero carbon" ships.

Although the proportion of carbon emissions in the shipping industry is not high, it is very difficult to reduce emissions.

He believes that it is necessary to find alternative energy sources through new technologies, such as the use of new energy sources such as ammonia and hydrogen as fuel.

But at present this engine technology is still not enough, and the supporting industry has to keep up.

In addition, the energy density of green ammonia and green hydrogen is not enough, and long-distance transoceanic routes need to stop and refuel, so the location of the refueling point needs to be discussed and determined.

　　Wen Zhenfu, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and general manager of Hubei Energy Group Co., Ltd., also paid attention to the construction of green and low-carbon ships.

He suggested to formulate national mandatory standards, promote the replacement of LNG power for ships, define the time limit for transformation according to the type and age of ships, and realize the "gasification of the Yangtze River" on the premise of ensuring safety.

(over)