ChinaPower Project

Analysis of Jiangnan Shipyard

Overview
Jiangnan Shipyard is one of China’s larger and more important commercial and
naval shipbuilding facilities. It is located northeast of Shanghai on Changxing
island (Changxingdao) at the mouth of the Yangtze River (31.369561°,
121.723209°). The shipyard was built between 2005 and 2007 to replace the
existing shipbuilding facilities that were formerly located in central Shanghai.
Operations at the new site commenced in 2008-2009.

Since the relocation, Jiangnan has continuously engaged in the construction,

maintenance, and modification of a wide range of commercial and People’s
Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels. Analysis conducted by CSIS of satellite
imagery from 2011 and 2018 illustrates the degree to which the shipyard’s
infrastructure has developed during the intervening seven years.
Within the main shipyard, its commercial section has remained relatively
unchanged. What changes did occur are typical of active shipyards of this size
and type. In the military section of the shipyard, two additional block production
areas were completed. Additional movable environmental shelters were also
erected on the construction ways. The housing areas on the northwest corner of
the shipyard were also completed.

The most notable expansion of Jiangnan has occurred in the area adjacent to the
original shipyard where a large variety of industrial and support facilities have
been constructed. Moving from northwest to southeast, these include: a new
warehouse and storage area, two fabrication and assembly facilities, a housing
area, and two large fabrication/assembly facilities. Since mid-2017, construction
of another large fabrication/assembly facility and excavation of an adjacent wet
basin has been underway. Given the proximity, layout, and construction
timelines of all these facilities, it is evident that they either directly support the
shipyard or are integral components of it. Including these new facilities, the
original shipyard has expanded from approximately 7 km2 in 2011 to
approximately 11.5 km2 – an increase of 64 percent.
Facility Description
To further assess the significance of Jiangnan, CSIS has analyzed ten different
satellite images taken of the shipyard between April 10, 2018 through October
27, 2018. Although there is likely no hard-and-fast internal distinction, the main
shipyard can be divided into three broad areas: commercial construction,
modification and repair; military construction, modification and repair; and VIP
housing.

Commercial Facilities

Among its many components, the commercial shipyard consists of eleven T-

shaped piers, four dry docks (which also serve as construction ways), numerous
block construction areas and fabrication/assembly shops, storage areas, as well
as administration, engineering, and various support buildings. Throughout 2018,
the commercial shipyard produced, modified, or repaired numerous commercial
vessels – including very large crude carriers (VLCC), large liquified natural gas
(LNG) carriers, very large ore carriers, and a collection of smaller commercial
vessels.

Some of this infrastructure (notably Dry Dock #4) also supports PLAN
construction. Dry Dock #3 was also observed to support PLAN vessels and Pier
#11 was frequently used by newly commissioned PLAN vessels and vessels
undergoing modification and repair.

Military Facilities

The military shipyard is an approximately 1.4 km2 subset of the larger commercial
shipyard. It is notable for its large floodable ship basin (~118,600 m2) and lock,
tandem construction way with block assembly areas, sideway launching way
(~210 x 28 m), floodable launching way (~220 x 115 m), and dry dock (~25 x 35 m).
These facilities also appear to include a dedicated construction hall, block
construction areas, fabrication/assembly shops, storage areas, as well as
administration, engineering, and support buildings.

Unlike the commercial shipyard, which constructs major vessel components in

the open, the military shipyard has a construction hall where large
subassemblies are built indoors. These large subassemblies are then moved by
rail across the road to the sideway launching way or block construction area to
be assembled into larger vessels under environmental shelters. Smaller classes of
vessels, such as LCACs (air-cushioned landing craft) can be fully built within the
construction hall before being moved to the sideway launching way for fitting
out and launching.

Observed Naval Activity in 2018

Throughout 2018, there was significant construction, modification, and repair
activity at Jiangnan. Much of this activity centered on building and fitting out
the Type 052D, Type 052D modified variant, and Type 055.1 In April, two Type
052D destroyers were observed and by October this number had increased to
five. Of these vessels, two were modified with a longer flight deck on the stern.
Over the same period, two Type 055 cruisers were present in most images,
although three were observed in April. The first Type 055 cruiser was launched in
June 2017 and three additional cruisers were launched in 2018. The cruisers were
built at Jiangnan and Dalian shipyards.
Several other vessels were also observed at the military shipyard in 2018:

• A Yuan Wang-class space event support ship was present from April
through early October. Satellite imagery analysis suggests that it was having
its radar systems repaired or replaced. Vessels belonging to the Yuan Wang-
class are used for tracking and support of satellite and intercontinental
ballistic missiles.

• The Xue Long icebreaker, with a distinctive large radome on its aft
superstructure, appeared in mid-June when it entered the military shipyard’s
dry dock. It then left and reappeared in late-October when it entered Dry
Dock #4. Its presence in dry dock on both occasions suggests ongoing work
to its hull or powerplant.

• Another icebreaker, the Xue Long 2, was under construction in Dry Dock
#4 throughout 2018 until September, when it was moved to the floodable
basin for launching. As of October, it has remained in the floodable basin as
fitting out operations continued.

• An unidentified, but probable, Type 272 icebreaker was first observed in

April 2018 in the floodable basin at the military shipyard. In June, it was
 berthed along Pier #11 and the following month it was observed in Dry Dock
#4. It remained at Dry Dock #4 until late-October when it was moved back
into the floodable basin. This pattern of movement, while not conclusive,
suggests completion of construction and fitting out operations.

• Seven to ten Type 726A LCACs were present throughout the year. Their
positioning and paint schemes indicate that they are being built and
undergoing final fitting out prior to delivery. Two unidentified small ~30 x 7
m PC (probable patrol craft) were present during August-September.

• A small number of barges, tugboats, and miscellaneous small craft were

present throughout the year.

Reports of the Type 002 – China’s Third

Aircraft Carrier
The construction of a third aircraft carrier – the Type 002 – is rumored to be
underway at Jiangnan. Details regarding the vessel are limited, and it was not
until November 27, 2018 that the existence of the Type 002 was officially
confirmed by China’s official news agency, Xinhua. Various unofficial reports
speculate that the Type 002 is either being built within the existing commercial
shipyard or at the new assembly facility currently under construction to the
southeast of the military shipyard.
Satellite imagery from October 2018 provided no insight into whether these
reports were correct. This imagery did show that the new fabrications/assembly
facility was still under construction and that the adjacent potential wet basin
was not yet suitable for launching vessels, as it had not been dredged and
lacked a connection to the Yangtze River. Imagery from October 2018 also
showed some unidentified construction along the south bank of the probable
wet basin.

UPDATE: The construction of the Type 002 now appears to be underway at

Jiangnan Shipyard. Satellite imagery collected in April 2019 shows significant
new activity since late 2018. Learn more.
Photo Credit: Digital Globe
KEYWORDS imagery analysis Jiangnan Shipyard satellite imagery

third aircraft carrier Type 055

China Power Team. "Analysis of Jiangnan Shipyard" China Power. December 17, 2018.
Updated March 17, 2020. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://chinapower.csis.org/analysis-
jiangnan-shipyard/

FURTHER READING
• Andrew S. Erickson, ed., Chinese Naval Shipbuilding: an Ambitious and
Uncertain Course, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2016.

• Ronald O’Rourke, “China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy

Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress,” Congressional Research
Service, August 1, 2018.

• “Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the

People’s Republic of China 2018,” Department of Defense, 2018.

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