China announced that it will eliminate its shipbuilding white list. Currently, China’s shipyard white list contains 70 approved shipyards, while the decision will be effective immediately. The white list was introduced in 2014.
The white list included performance indicators that Chinese authorities demanded of shipyards in order for the latter to have access to capital more easily. The list was launched during overcapacity in global shipbuilding and aimed to rule the weakest yards out of the competition.
[smlsubform prepend=”GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!” showname=false emailtxt=”” emailholder=”Enter your email address” showsubmit=true submittxt=”Submit” jsthanks=false thankyou=”Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list”]
China had revised the list many times in the last two years, and has now decided to give it up, effective immediately. The white list today contains 70 approved shipyards.
The list had received critisism from several private shipyards in China, claiming that it had eliminated them from favourable policies and had made it difficult to receive financing. In fact, during the last decade, the majority of private yards able of building ocean-going vessels in China were eliminated, as they reduced from 305 in 2009 to no more than 40 today.
After launching the shipbuilding white list, China also introduced a white list for offshore yards, which sources report that it could be cancelled as well.
However, China aims to advance its shipbuilding industry during 2019, and the merger of CSSC and CSIC could play a significant role in these efforts.
