MSC contacts defunct Rongsheng shipyard for its next wave of boxship orders

Global shipbuilding capacity is set to grow by 1% with the reactivation of a prominent shipyard from the past shipping boom and bust era.

MB Shipbroking, formerly known as Maersk Broker, reports that Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries, once China’s largest private shipyard, is reopening with the world’s largest container line, Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), as one of its first clients.

Rongsheng has secured financial backing and has won a contract for a series of 12,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel ships from MSC, which is seeking new yards in China for expansion.

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MB Shipbroking also notes that Rongsheng is marketing large tankers and bulk carriers with delivery slots from late 2026, potentially increasing global shipbuilding capacity by 1%.

Founded in 2006 and once the largest private shipbuilder in China, Rongsheng halted operations in 2014 due to financial collapse. Its reactivation marks a significant return to the industry.

Additionally, MSC has signed up for ten 21,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel ships at Jiangsu Hantong, with deliveries starting in late 2027 through 2028. This marks Hantong’s debut in the container segment, as it is traditionally known for building bulk carriers. MSC is also rumored to have commissioned a series of 11,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel units at Penglai Jinglu, preparing for independent operations on major east-west trades next year after ending its vessel sharing agreement with Maersk.