The ship construction site. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

Zhoushan Qifan Shipyard Company based in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, has started to construct two 13,000-metric-ton container ships on April 15, marking a major turning point for the company.

"Production orders are scheduled until 2028, with new projects being launched every month and a half on average. This year, the plan is to complete five to eight vessels, with an annual output value of around 400 million yuan ($55 million)," said Hu Bin, the general manager of Zhoushan Qifan Shipyard Company.

The decades-old Zhoushan Qifan Shipyard Company was once a major player in the shipbuilding industry. However, due to market fluctuations and misguided operational strategies, the company struggled to keep pace.

The company has since underwent a thorough restructuring, shifting its focus to ships below 20,000 tons in December 2023, investing over tens of millions of yuan, introducing various new mechanical equipment such as gantry cranes and flatbed trucks, and phasing out some old equipment.

Since then, shipbuilding orders have been pouring in.

Moving forward, the company plans to focus on high-quality shipbuilding and expand into the new energy ship sector to drive sustained high-quality development.