In recent years, China's shipbuilding industry has been delivering frequent good news.
Last year, not only did we rank first in the world in all three major indicators, but we also completed the construction of domestically produced cruise ships.
It can be said that China's shipbuilding industry has fully risen.
However, the situation in the United States is quite different.
Given the current state of the U.S. shipbuilding industry, it is difficult for them to catch up with us.
So, what is the current development of the U.S. shipbuilding industry?
The old investment adage "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" seems not to apply to today's shipbuilding industry, as China has successfully taken in 90% of the global orders.
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In August this year, the new ship orders of Chinese shipbuilding companies accounted for 90% of the global market share.
This number not only leaves other countries far behind but also highlights the strong strength of China's shipbuilding industry.
It is not easy to dominate the international market, let alone with such a huge advantage.
But this is not all.
Among the 18 main types of ships in the world, China holds the top position in the order volume of 14 types of ships.
It is like a student who ranks first in 14 out of 18 courses, which is simply the top student among top students.
Moreover, China's shipbuilding industry firmly occupies the first place in the world in the three key indicators of completion volume, new orders, and order backlog.
You might ask if this is a flash in the pan?
The answer is no.
In fact, the rise of China's shipbuilding industry is a gradual process.
Take the two giants China Shipbuilding and China Shipbuilding Heavy Industry as examples.
Their merger will result in a total asset of an astonishing 376.2 billion yuan.
It is like two giants joining hands to form an even stronger super giant.
Moreover, the advantages of China's shipbuilding industry are not only reflected in scale but also have considerable competitiveness in terms of price.
According to statistics, the price of Chinese shipbuilding is about 10% to 15% cheaper than that of South Korea.
In general, the rise of China's shipbuilding industry is not accidental but an inevitable result of years of accumulation.
It is like a huge ship that has opened up its own channel in the ocean of the global shipbuilding industry.
So, what is the current situation of the U.S. shipbuilding industry?
Today, the U.S. shipbuilding industry is like a once-favored concubine who has fallen into disfavor, no longer in the limelight, and even struggling to maintain its own territory.
Now, the production capacity of the U.S. shipbuilding industry is severely insufficient, accounting for only a pitiful 0.13% of the global shipbuilding market share.
It is like being in a class of 100 people and only knowing 1/8 of them.
What is even more shocking is that the U.S. shipbuilding industry now mainly relies on military ship orders to maintain operations, and commercial ship orders can be described as "rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns."
This situation is like a once all-around champion who can only barely maintain in a small event, and is no longer able to compete in other events.
In addition, the U.S. shipbuilding industry is facing the dual dilemma of a shortage of skilled workers and aging infrastructure.
Moreover, the situation of the U.S. Navy is also not optimistic.
Due to the decline of the shipbuilding industry, the maintenance capacity of U.S. naval ships is seriously insufficient.
Faced with this predicament, the U.S. government is not sitting idly by.
They have proposed a plan called the "Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan," which plans to invest $21 billion in modernizing shipyards over 20 years.
Now, the U.S. Navy has signed agreements with shipyards in Japan, South Korea, India, and other countries, allowing these countries' shipyards to repair U.S. warships.
It can be seen that the U.S. Navy has chosen shipbuilding enterprises in allied countries with high technical levels and close relations as partners, with the purpose of reducing the time for ships to dock for maintenance.
This is like your luxury car is broken, instead of waiting for the local repair shop to queue up, it is better to directly send it to the neighboring country's 4S shop, which is both fast and good.
However, this approach has also raised some concerns in the U.S. government.
Some people worry whether this means that the U.S. shipbuilding industry will further decline?
Will it affect national security?
These issues are like the sword of Damocles hanging over the head of the U.S. shipbuilding industry, forcing people to think deeply.
In general, the current situation of the U.S. shipbuilding industry can be described as "internal and external troubles."
They are facing internal issues such as insufficient production capacity, talent shortage, and aging facilities, while externally facing fierce competition from emerging shipbuilding powers such as China.
It can be seen that this once maritime overlord is now struggling to regain its former glory, but in this rapidly changing era, whether the U.S. shipbuilding industry can rise from the ashes or continue to sink is a question that only time can answer.
In addition to China and the United States, what is the development of the shipbuilding industry in other countries?
In addition to China and the United States, the shipbuilding industries of South Korea and Japan still maintain certain advantages, but their market share is continuously declining.
The European shipbuilding industry is mainly concentrated in the field of high-end cruise ships and other special types of ships, which is like a boutique store.
Although the customer base is small, it still maintains its unique charm in its own field.
At the same time, emerging shipbuilding countries such as India and Vietnam are working hard to improve their shipbuilding capabilities, but the gap with China is still very large, like the gap between an amateur and an Olympic champion.
In general, the current global shipbuilding pattern can be described as "one superpower and many strong powers."
China is undoubtedly the "superpower," while other countries are seeking breakthroughs in their respective niche fields.
The formation of this pattern is not accidental but the result of the development strategies and industrial policies of various countries' shipbuilding industries over the years.
Faced with this situation, the reactions of various countries are different, some countries choose to focus on specific fields, some countries try to narrow the gap through technological innovation, and some countries have begun to seek international cooperation to enhance their own strength.
No matter what strategy is adopted, one thing is certain: in this rapidly changing era, whoever can ride the wind and waves in the "blue ocean" of the shipbuilding industry will be able to take the initiative in future international competition.
It can be seen that in this global shipbuilding competition, every country is trying to find its own place, and the result of this competition will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the global economic pattern.
Now, the United States, once the hegemon of the shipbuilding industry, is performing a good play of "aping the east."
The U.S. Navy Secretary Del Toro has recently frequently visited shipyards in South Korea and Japan.
His purpose is very clear: to seek investment from these countries to restart idle U.S. shipyards, which is like a once glorious enterprise now having to seek foreign capital to rejuvenate.
The United States' proposal is quite creative: to redevelop idle shipyards for both military and civilian use, which is like transforming an abandoned factory into a multifunctional factory that can produce both military supplies and civilian products.
This idea sounds very beautiful, but whether it can be realized is still a big question mark.
After all, as the saying goes, "a clever housewife cannot make a meal without rice," without sufficient technical and talent support, this plan is likely to be a castle in the air.
At the same time, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, Emanuel, is also actively promoting the participation of Japanese private shipyards in the MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) work of U.S. warships.
Although this approach reveals the helplessness of the U.S. shipbuilding industry, it is also a pragmatic choice.
Let's take a look at South Korea, a once powerful shipbuilding country that was on par with China and is now facing significant challenges.
The labor shortage problem of South Korean shipbuilding companies is becoming increasingly serious.
This has not only led to wage increases but also caused delivery delays, casting a shadow over the competitiveness of the South Korean shipbuilding industry.
Moreover, South Korean shipbuilding companies have also encountered difficulties in obtaining repayment guarantees, which severely restricts their ability to accept new orders, like an athlete with strength but unable to participate in the competition.
Therefore, compared with the shipbuilding industries of countries around the world, only our China has truly achieved "leading."
This year has passed more than half, and I believe that in the second half of this year, China's shipbuilding performance will reach new heights.
Faced with this situation, the coping strategies of various countries are different, but they all reflect a common theme: change and innovation.
Whether it is the United States seeking help from allies or South Korea trying to solve its own problems, or other countries seeking breakthroughs in niche fields, it shows that the shipbuilding industry is undergoing a profound change.
In this change, China is undoubtedly the most successful.
Let's look forward to the future of China together.