The global containership orderbook has hit a record 1,712 vessels and 13.72m TEU, exceeding 40% of the existing fleet, according to Linerlytica. Chinese shipbuilders account for eight in every 10 containerships on order, while 10 of the world’s 15 largest builders are based in China. The four leading yards are all privately owned Chinese shipbuilders.
Hengli Heavy Industry secured orders for 56 containerships in the first half of 2026, ranking second among global containership builders. The Chinese yard booked 207 vessels during the six-month period, comprising 94 tankers, 56 containerships, 49 bulk carriers and eight very large ammonia carriers. Hengli’s cumulative order intake has exceeded 500 vessels, with deliveries scheduled through 2030.
The unprecedented backlog is intensifying overcapacity concerns as a large volume of new tonnage is due to enter service in 2027 and 2028. Strong charter markets and limited vessel availability through 2027 have also drawn international owners back to newbuilding contracting.
Linerlytica is a container shipping data and analytics company founded in 2020. Its platform processes more than 400,000 records per day and tracks more than 360 cross-regional liner services and 1,000 intra-regional services.