COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry is moving forward with new investments across its shipbuilding facilities, aiming to expand available construction capacity while delivering increasingly advanced, high-quality and technologically enhanced vessels.In an interview with Naftemporiki on the sidelines of Posidonia 2026, Jalen Li, Business Department Section Chief of COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry (Yangzhou) Co., Ltd., highlighted the significant progress made by Chinese shipyards in terms of efficiency, quality and construction standards. He also outlined the Group’s ambitions to increase available building slots, strengthen its presence in next-generation vessel segments and deepen cooperation with Greek shipowners.Progress Across Multiple FrontsHe emphasized that the advancement of China’s shipbuilding industry has been both substantial and multi-dimensional.According to him, Chinese shipyards have significantly enhanced not only their production capabilities but also their overall competitiveness. He stressed that this progress did not occur overnight; rather, it has been the result of a gradual and sustained upgrading process that has enabled China to emerge as a dominant force in the global shipbuilding market.At the same time, the COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry executive underscored that perceptions of Chinese shipyards have evolved considerably, reflecting a manufacturing model that continuously improves both reliability and the quality of the final product.Strategic PrioritiesDiscussing the company’s strategy for 2026 and beyond, Li highlighted two key priorities.On one hand, the company aims to expand its shipbuilding capacity in order to offer more construction slots to shipowners at a time when global demand for newbuildings remains robust.On the other hand, it is focused on delivering vessels with higher technological content, more advanced systems and enhanced capabilities that align with evolving market requirements.“The objective for COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry is not only to build more ships, but to build better ships,” he noted.Strong Ties with Greek ShipownersAsked about the importance of Greek shipowners to Chinese shipyards, and to COSCO SHIPPING in particular, Li spoke highly of the long-standing relationship with the Greek shipping community.He stressed that Greek shipowners remain one of the most influential forces in global shipping and that no major shipyard would disregard the opportunity to work with them.Greek shipowners continue to rank among the world’s most active investors in newbuilding capacity adding that this relationship is not merely cyclical but fundamentally strategic for the Chinese shipbuilding industry.Energy Transition Reshaping OrderbooksHe pointed to the market’s shift toward vessels incorporating alternative energy solutions, confirming that the maritime energy transition is already having a tangible impact on newbuilding orders.He noted that the proportion of vessels being built with alternative-fuel capabilities continues to rise year after year. Even at the level of a single shipyard, such vessels now account for more than 50% of the orderbook.This growth is primarily driven by LNG-, methanol- and ammonia-fuelled vessel designs, indicating that the industry has already entered a phase of practical integration of new technologies into commercial shipbuilding programmes.Providing an overview of the Group, Li explained that COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry operates under the umbrella of the COSCO Shipping Group and comprises nine shipyards.Its activities span four core business segments: newbuilding construction, ship repair, offshore engineering projects, and marine equipment and support services.In the newbuilding sector, the Group is capable of serving nearly the entire spectrum of commercial vessel types, ranging from tankers and bulk carriers to containerships and specialised inland waterway vessels.Regarding gas carriers, however, Li noted that the company’s current focus remains on small- and medium-sized vessels rather than very large LNG carriers.Finally, Li emphasized that events such as Posidonia are essential for strengthening business connections, cultivating long-term relationships and building the trust framework within which major commercial agreements ultimately take shape.