China Outbuilds U.S. Naval Tonnage in 2024-25 Period
China constructed more than twice the naval tonnage of the United States during 2024-25, according to a report published by Euronaval.
The Government of China constructed 636,208 tons of combat ships during the 2024-25 period, more than double the 270,509 tons built by the United States. According to the World Defense Shipbuilding report published by Euronaval, China's output accounted for over one-third of global naval tonnage and reached a value of $43.5 billion, compared to $26.8 billion for the U.S.
This trend marks a reversal from 2022-2023, when U.S. production exceeded that of China. Despite the recent surge in Chinese shipbuilding, the United States maintains the world's largest overall fleet of combat vessels over 200 tons, totaling 3.11 million tons against China's 1.44 million tons as of January 1, 2026.
Global naval construction reached 1.47 million tons with a total value of $123.9 billion, with Russia, India, and Italy following China and the U.S. in volume. Philippe Missoffe, general director of Gican, noted a substantial expansion of naval forces and an increase in power capabilities, specifically regarding nuclear-powered attack submarines.
U.S. lawmakers have warned that production bottlenecks and China's superior shipbuilding capacity could hinder the ability of the United States to maintain parity with Beijing's expanding fleet.
