According to statistics published by China's Xiamen Customs, from January to April this year, Fujian province exported a total of CNY5.27 billion (US$730 million) in new ships.
The figure represented a year-on-year increase of 17.1 per cent as well as the highest ever January-April total export value achieved by shipbuilders in the southeastern Chinese province.
In April 2025 alone, Fujian exported CNY1.77 billion (US$250 million) in ships, an increase of 61.1 per cent compared to the same month last year.
Data showed that state-owned enterprises are the main contributors in Fujian's ship exports. From January to April this year, state-owned enterprises in Fujian exported CNY4.54 billion (US$630 million) in ships, a year-on-year increase of 9.3 per cent.
State-owned shipbuilders also accounted for 86.3 per cent of the total export value of ships in the province in the same period.
In the same period, private enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises exported ships of CNY670 million (US$93 million) and CNY51.49 million (US$7.15 million) respectively, an increase of 120 per cent and 59.8 per cent year-on-year, respectively.
Members states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remains the largest market for Fujian's ship exports. From January to April this year, Fujian exported CNY2.06 billion (US$290 million) in ships to ASEAN, a year-on-year increase of 250 per cent.
This also accounted for 39 per cent of the total export value of ships in Fujian province in the same period.
Among ASEAN member states, Thailand received the largest share of January-April ship exports from Fujian, achieving a total value of CNY1.25 billion (US$170 million).
In the same period, Fujian exported CNY760 million (US$110 million) in ships to the EU, a year-on-year increase of 5.5 per cent. Latin America has meanwhile been identified as an emerging market, with CNY879 million (US$122 million) in ships exported to the region, a year-on-year increase of 18.8 per cent.
Bulk carriers are the main type of ships exported by Fujian. From January to April this year, Fujian exported CNY2.27 billion (US$310 million) in new bulk carriers, a year-on-year increase of 11.8 per cent.
In the same period, the export value of liquid cargo ships was worth CNY490 million (US$68 million), a year-on-year increase of nearly 28 per cent.