BYD orders 10 car-carrying ships as export push accelerates

Chinese vehicle manufacturer BYD has reportedly ordered another ten car carriers — an investment that will substantially increase the company's shipping fleet and help it export more vehicles globally.

According to maritime publications, BYD ordered ten pure car and truck carriers, each capable of transporting up to 9,200 car-equivalent units (CEU). If completed, they would join its existing eight ships and take the company's total fleet to 18 vessels.

The new ships are reportedly being built by China Merchants Industry at its Jinling and Haimen shipyards — the same yards that built BYD Shenzhen, currently the world's largest car carrier — with deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2029. Based on reports, the vessels would be LNG dual-fuel powered, consistent with BYD's existing fleet. However, neither BYD nor the shipbuilder has officially confirmed the order.

The expansion would add another 92,000 CEU of capacity and lift BYD's combined fleet capacity beyond 130,000 CEU. CarNewsChina estimates the additional vessels could increase BYD's annual export shipping capability from around one million to 2.5 million vehicles.

BYD is the world's top electric vehicle seller. With the International Energy Agency (IEA) noting heightened global interest in EVs — driven in part by the Middle East conflict — BYD has been positioning itself as a manufacturer of choice for expanding markets.

BYD's shipping expansion comes as international markets assume greater importance for the company. Its exports from China reached 1.127 million vehicles during the first eight months of 2026, up 88 per cent year-on-year, while its main BYD brand's Chinese sales fell 43 per cent to 1.15 million over the same period. BYD generated 53 per cent of its revenue outside China during the first half of 2026, when overseas vehicle sales climbed 70.6 per cent.

That shift is also reportedly influencing its model strategy. The Seal and Sealion 7 have been withdrawn from the Chinese market as production is redirected towards export markets, although both remain on sale in Australia. The Sealion 6 had already followed a similar path earlier this year.

BYD established a presence in Guyana in 2025. Since then, the company has introduced several models to the Guyanese market and demand has steadily risen.

Globally, the Chinese manufacturer appears increasingly determined to control not just how many vehicles it builds, but how quickly it can get them into expanding overseas markets.

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