With the development of the global economy and the progress of science and technology,The shipbuilding industry has become one of the important pillars of economic development of various countries.
In this area,South Korea once led the way with its advanced technology and superb production level, and was known for"The king of the world's ships"。
However, behind this seeming calm,A challenge from China is brewing.
Once upon a time Korea"Golden Rice Bowl"Is it facing an unprecedented threat, does this mean that Made in China will overtake South Korea to become the new world leader?
In fact, China has already done it!
With the development of China's economy and technological progress, China's shipbuilding industry has achieved rapid growth in the past few years. Especially in the field of high-value shipbuilding, China's shipbuilding enterprises are gradually emergingIt has brought unprecedented pressure to South Korea, a long-established shipbuilding powerhouse that has long dominated the industry. The delivery ceremony of China's large domestically produced cruise ships and liquefied natural gas carriers has made South Korea feel the urgency.
According to the statistics of Clarkson, a British shipbuilding and shipping industry analysis agency, as of the first 11 months of this year, the total number of global new ship orders reached 38.03 million revised gross tons. In the midst of this,China topped the list with a market share of 21.89 million revised gross tons, while South Korea, once the world leader, was hit hard, with orders down 39% year-on-year to just 9.55 million revised gross tons. This result shows that the position of the Korean shipbuilding industry has been seriously threatened under the fierce market competition.
In response to this situation, some industry experts believe that South Korea should take effective measures to adapt to this change as soon as possible. South Korea can further tap its technological potential and improve its competitive advantage. Lee Jeong-ho, a senior surveyor at the Shanghai office of the Korea Classification Society, believes that South Korea should maintain its expertise in ship design and construction management to prevent being imitated by Chinese companies and losing business.
It is also necessary to make full use of the opportunities of international cooperation, actively engage in exchanges and Xi with other countries, and absorb and learn from the excellent experiences and practices of other countries. For example, South Korea's MRC Corporation, a manufacturer of high-tech navigation and communication equipment based in BusanTheir technical researcher, Carl Martin, believes that China and South Korea have their own advantages in the field of shipbuilding, and if they can learn from each other, it will have a positive impact on the development Xi of the entire industry.
Against this backdrop, some Korean companies have also begun to try to change their development models. For example, the R&D department of South Korea's MRC Corporation is committed to using the latest technology to improve the quality and performance of products.
The company's senior leaders said that although Chinese companies have accumulated certain experience and skills in the process of ship production, there are still many deficiencies at the core technology level. Therefore, as long as you fully explore your own internal advantages, you can still achieve certain results in the market.
At the same time, South Korea** has also provided various policy support for its own enterprises. For example, technology export restrictions, which were introduced at the end of last year, are aimed at ensuring the security and privatization of key technologies and reducing the possibility of plagiarism by competitors. The "List of Key Strategic Technologies" compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy covers high value-added vessels such as ultra-large container ships, liquefied natural gas carriers, large cruise ships, and ships using electric propulsion systems.
The current situation is both a challenge and an opportunity for South Korea. Only by embracing challenges and fully understanding the impact of market changes can we stand among the pioneers on the world stage of the futureToday's China has already opened a leading era in three fields.
By mid-2023, we will be the only country in the world capable of building aircraft carriers, LNG ships and large cruise shipsThis is enough to show that China's shipbuilding technology, although it may still lag behind individual countries in some key areas, but on the whole, China's strength is still rising rapidly.
Decades ago, any country looked down on China's shipbuilding technology, but today, with its strong scientific and technological innovation capabilities and learning Xi capabilities, China has accounted for more than half of the global shipbuilding ordersToday's China is moving from a shipbuilding power to a world shipbuilding power
Since ancient times, the ocean has been one of the most important areas for human exploration of the unknown. However, to sail freely in this vast expanse of sea, a strong navy is indispensable. To this end, China has invested a lot of energy and resources in strengthening its naval strength through various means since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
At the beginning, China's shipbuilding manufacturing industry implemented a state-owned system and was supported by a large number of outstanding talents. Due to historical reasons, China's maritime military strength at that time was relatively weakTherefore, in the early stage of the army's construction, national defense construction was mainly focused on the research and development and production of military ships. Considering the importance of national economic construction, China did not ignore the development of civilian ships while developing military ships, but during that period, compared with the huge demand for military supplies, the demand for civilian ships was negligible.
After the reform and opening up, China began to change the original shipbuilding system, reducing the proportion of state financial subsidies, and separating the operation of the two major business departments of military and civilian. This reform measure has reduced the proportion of military ships in the market from the initial two-thirds to about one-third, prompting all kinds of large state-owned enterprises to seek new profit points, thus increasing the development of China's civil ship market.
In this context,The birth of many private enterprises has not only further enriched the competition pattern of the industry, and promote the rapid development of the entire industry.
However, between the late seventies and the early nineties of the last century, the global economy entered a deep adjustment cycle, and oil continued to shrink, resulting in a serious contraction in the market demand of the shipbuilding industry, and shipbuilding companies in many developed countries fell into difficulties. In the face of this situation, China, as an emerging market country, sees a rare development opportunity, insists on promoting technological innovation and industrial upgrading, actively integrates into the process of globalization, and accelerates the pace of catching up with developed countries.
It is worth mentioning"The Great Wall"It has become a key step for China's shipbuilding industry to enter the international stage. This premier export-oriented vessel has successfully won the favor of overseas customers and accumulated valuable practical experience and technical advantages for China. In the following years, despite the difficulties encountered, China has always maintained high morale and perseverance through international cooperation, self-innovation and other means, and continuously improved its comprehensive competitiveness.
At present, China's shipbuilding industry has become one of the largest and most influential enterprise clusters in the world, and has won high recognition from the industry at home and abroad. Looking back on the past years, we can proudly say that from the difficult entrepreneurship to the development and growth of the world's leading industry giant, China's shipbuilding industry has completed a magnificent turn with the spirit of unremitting struggle and tenacious determination.