China is the world’s largest shipping nation, accounting for around 20% of the global shipping industry in terms of total deadweight tonnage (DWT) as of 2021.
China boasts seven of the world’s top ten busiest container ports, with Shanghai being the largest and handling over 43 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2020.
The Chinese shipping industry has experienced rapid growth, with its fleet size more than doubling between 2007 and 2021.
As of 2021, China is the leading shipbuilding nation, with a global market share of approximately 40% in terms of compensated gross tonnage (CGT).
The Chinese shipping industry has a strong focus on dry bulk shipping, with the country’s dry bulk fleet accounting for nearly 25% of the global fleet by DWT as of 2021.
In 2020, China’s maritime trade accounted for more than $4 trillion, making it one of the most significant contributors to global maritime trade.