“无视”美国港口费，航运巨头继续争购中国船

Core Viewpoint - Despite high port fees imposed by the U.S. on Chinese-made ships since April, global buyers continue to purchase vessels from China due to its unmatched technological capabilities and production capacity in shipbuilding [1][5]. Group 1: Shipping Companies' Perspectives - Laurent, Senior Vice President of Mediterranean Shipping Company, stated that port fees will not hinder their plans to order more ships from China, praising China's strong technical capabilities [3]. - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, a major Japanese shipping company, indicated that despite pausing orders for LNG carriers from China due to U.S.-China trade tensions, they still consider Chinese shipyards as essential partners for high-quality vessels [6]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Trends - The International Maritime Organization aims for the global shipping industry to achieve net-zero emissions within 25 years, prompting increased investments in green fuels and decarbonization technologies, leading to a significant rise in new ship orders [5]. - In the first four months of this year, new ship orders totaled 12.6 million deadweight tons, with Chinese companies securing 54% of the orders, followed by South Korea with 22%, highlighting China's dominant position in the global shipbuilding market [6]. Group 3: Challenges for U.S. Shipbuilding - The U.S. shipbuilding industry faces significant challenges, including astronomical costs that are approximately five times higher than those in Asia, resulting in a limited annual production capacity of about 1.5 ships [5]. - The U.S. industrial base is relatively weak, with most companies opting to collaborate with Chinese supply chains, as exemplified by Mediterranean Shipping Company's partnerships with major Chinese shipyards [5].