COSCO Expands South China Ship Repair Yard

COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry in South China yard expansion

COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (CSHI) is investing RMB 3 billion (USD 421 million) in a major expansion project at Yangjiang in Guangdong Province, strengthening its ship repair and offshore engineering footprint in South China.

Major New Facilities

The development will feature:

-400,000-tonne dry dock

-200,000-tonne dry dock

-80,000-tonne floating dock

Seven repair berths

Once completed, the yard will be able to service VLCCs (very large crude carriers), ultra-large containerships, and offshore engineering units. COSCO expects the site to handle around 250 vessel repairs and conversions annually, positioning the facility to capture growing demand for large-ship maintenance and upgrades.

Impact on Global Sea Freight

This expansion will not only strengthen COSCO’s role in ship repair and offshore engineering, but also provide a direct boost to the international sea freight industry. With larger dry docks and additional berths, the Yangjiang yard will accommodate the world’s biggest containerships and tankers—key assets in global sea freight and container shipping—helping to ensure safer, faster, and more efficient cargo flows across major trade lanes.

Strategic Expansion

The project is led by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Yangjiang), a wholly owned subsidiary established in April 2025 to spearhead the group’s South China growth. COSCO stated that the new yard will focus on both ship repair and offshore conversion projects, including FPSO (floating production storage and offloading) units, meeting rising international demand for high-capacity maritime services.

In a parallel move, COSCO signed an investment cooperation framework with Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone, where it plans to build another large-scale repair and conversion base featuring three docks and seven berths, further expanding its nationwide service network.

Industry Leadership

Often called China’s “ship repair carrier,” COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry already operates nine mid- to large-sized shipyards. Its network completes more than 1,500 vessel repairs and conversions each year, alongside newbuild capacity, offshore engineering units, and modular fabrication, reinforcing its position as a global leader in ship repair, sea freight support, and offshore engineering.