China’s Dominance in Shipbuilding and U.S. Trade Policy Create New Risks for Europe and Other Trading Partners

Abstract

China is now the dominant builder of the world's commercial shipping fleet, building more than half of new ships in 2025. Using new data combining maritime transaction records, ship registries, and vessel positions, this report shows how deeply Chinese-built ships are now embedded in global trade. With new US port fees on Chinese-built vessels potentially starting in November 2026, this report further quantifies the trade effects of such policy. Ultimately the economic burden falls on the US rather than China, with negative spillovers to several other exporters dependent on Chinese vessels. Europe's latest Industrial Maritime Strategy recognizes these emerging geopolitical threats. However, a systematic mapping of countries’ dependencies in maritime transportation and their exposure to unilateral policy measures that target these dependencies is still needed.