A study has confirmed that Chinese shipyards can source almost all shipbuilding components from their own country, seemingly weathering U.S. sanctions aimed at curbing the rapid development of China's navy.

    The study, commissioned by the Chinese Academy of Engineering, sheds light on the impact of sanctions imposed by the US administration under former President Donald Trump. The Chinese Academy of Engineering is an official organization made up of China's top engineering and technical experts and has some influence on government decisions.

    Despite the sanctions, China's shipbuilding sector grew at a record pace last year, with construction completions rising almost 12 per cent year on year to 42.32m deadweight tonnes, more than all other countries combined, according to industry data.

    China Shipbuilding Industry Association data show that in 2023, China's shipbuilding industry's new orders increased by 56%, many of which are advanced ship types, such as high-cost ro-ro orders accounted for 83% of global new orders.

    A research team led by Liu Cungen, a professor at the School of Shipbuilding, Ocean and Architectural Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, set out to investigate the adaptability of China's Marine equipment industry chain to sanctions.

    The researchers say shipyards have access to all but a small percentage of specialized equipment. Although some Chinese products still have a gap in maturity compared with their Western rivals, their technological level and market potential are rapidly improving, and the prices of Chinese products are also attractive to customers.

    Some Chinese Marine scientists and engineers believe that China will soon regain its dominance in the shipbuilding industry. At present, more than 90% of the world's shipbuilding capacity is located in Asia.