ATHENS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- China's shipbuilding industry is accelerating its transition toward greener and smarter development, contributing new solutions to the global maritime sector's low-carbon transformation, according to a report released in Athens.

The report, jointly published by the Shanghai Headquarters of China Economic Information Service, the China Shipbuilding Economic Research Center and Xinhua News Agency's Europe Regional Bureau, was released on Wednesday during a series of China-hosted events held on the sidelines of Posidonia 2026, one of the world's leading maritime exhibitions.

The report said China is steadily advancing from the world's largest shipbuilder to a leading one of the global shipbuilding industry, driven by innovation, green development and intelligent manufacturing.

According to the report, Chinese shipyards recorded strong growth in the first quarter of 2026, with new orders surging more than 190 percent year on year. Green vessels accounted for 80.2 percent of total new orders, reflecting the industry's growing commitment to sustainable development.

The report noted that China has established a diversified industrial ecosystem for alternative marine fuels, including liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen, while also making significant progress in intelligent manufacturing through the development of smart factories and digitally connected production systems.

It also identified several challenges facing the industry, including uncertainties surrounding global decarbonization pathways, insufficient supporting infrastructure for alternative fuels, and gaps in digitalization among smaller suppliers.

The report said green and intelligent development will remain the twin drivers of high-quality growth for China's shipbuilding industry and will support its deeper integration into the global maritime value chain. ■