Despite the depressed state of the global shipbuilding industry, Chongqing’s shipbuilders recorded revenues of Rmb5.6bn in the first half of 2009, a 21 per cent year-on-year increase. Exports accounted for Rmb616m of the total.

Chongqing-based shipbuilders target small to midsize ships and specialised vessels. Zhejiang Donggang Shipyard recently launched a stainless steel chemical tanker for a customer in Japan, while Chongqing Jinlong Shipbuilding completed an LPG carrier built for a shipowner in Shanghai.