Zhoushan strengthens its position as a global ship repair hub

Zhoushan shipyards are busy with operations. [Photo/Putuo district committee department of publicity]

Shipyards across Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, are busy this winter, with repair lines operating at full capacity.

At a major facility on Liuheng Island, a 300,000-deadweight-ton Greek cargo vessel has just completed repairs and is preparing for delivery, while three more ships wait offshore for berthing.

Zhoushan is advancing its goal of becoming a global ship repair center, holding more than 20 percent of the worldwide market and handling 45 percent of the nation's repair workload for foreign vessels. Five of the world's top 10 ship repair enterprises operate in Zhoushan, marking the city as a significant force in the international ship repair landscape.

The China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry on Nov 21 released the China Ship Repair (Putuo) Price Index in Zhoushan, establishing a pricing reference for the domestic ship repair market and enhancing the city's influence and its price-setting role in the global market.

Zhoushan's ship repair industry has expanded rapidly over the past decade, thanks to its coastal location and deepwater ports capable of accommodating vessels over 300,000 tons. Located at the intersection of domestic coastal routes and international lanes between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, the city offers convenient berthing without detours, reducing time and logistics costs for shipowners. Leading global carriers such as Maersk and MSC have been sending vessels to Zhoushan for maintenance.

The city has developed a complete repair ecosystem, with 33 enterprises above a designated size and about 20,000 workers handling more than 3,500 large vessels each year. A coordinated industrial chain has emerged, combining repair companies, equipment developers, and service providers. Green technologies such as ultra-high-pressure water cleaning and robotic coating are widely adopted, boosting automation above 75 percent and improving efficiency by 15 percent compared with average industry levels.

The sector's momentum continues to grow. In 2024, Zhoushan's repair output reached 21.32 billion yuan ($3.01 billion), up 16.5 percent year-on-year. From January to October this year, output hit 21.56 billion yuan, rising 16.9 percent.