China's shipbuilding industries contracted 18 vessel/units totalling $5bn of offshore facilities and vessels, made up 10% of global order intake, in 2011, according to a statistical report from China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI).
COSCO has made a relatively early entrance on offshore facility sector in 2006. Its Nantong, Dalian, Zhoushan and Guangdong yards have developed offshore market. COSCO recently built up an offshore yard in Qidong and started operation.
Nantong Mingde Heavy Industry has been concentrated on high-value vessels for the last eight years and places in world third and China's first on the basis of the orderbook of car carrier and chemical tanker. Recently, its Chairman Ji Fenghua announced that Nantong Mingde would soon enter offshore segment.
Daoda Heavy Industry Group used to construct mainly tanker, bulker under 300,000 dwt, however, in a couple of recent years, it commenced to build chemical tanker, LNG carrier, offshore facilities as well as offshore windfarm related vessels, etc.
Chinese shipbuilders' aggressive expansion into offshore market is closely related to governmental support, having offshore-related plans, such as 'Mid-to-long term development plan for offshore facility construction', '2011-2020 innovative development plan for offshore facility industry.'
Meanwhile, Chinese offshore industry is still in an early stage, yet far from target achieved.