On the rocks

摘要

In recent years the headline story in world shipbuilding has been the continuing rise to prominence of Chinese yards. Swept along by booming demand, existing builders and entrepreneurs alike were opening yards on an almost daily basis. From building small and unsophisticated ships just a decade ago, some Chinese builders have been gaining experience and winning orders for more lucrative ship types. However, the vast majority of yards have remained in the lower end of the market, leaving the construction of gas carriers, container ships and specialist vessels to builders in South Korea and Japan.