U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 9 (local time) to sanction Chinese cranes dominating U.S. ports. This decision is part of a broader strategy to rebuild the American shipbuilding industry and counter China’s influence in critical infrastructure sectors. The executive order includes Article 5 focusing on investigating unfair practices in China’s marine, logistics, and shipbuilding industries amid longstanding national security concerns over Chinese technology.
The U.S. has previously expressed fears that Chinese cranes, particularly those produced by ZPMC—which holds a staggering 70% of the global market share—could be used as espionage tools. Under President Joe Biden’s administration last year, an executive order was also issued with similar claims against Chinese cranes. In the U.S., these cranes account for over 80% of the market share, raising alarms about potential vulnerabilities in American ports.
In light of these developments, South Korean companies HD Hyundai Samho, Doosan Enerbility (formerly Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction), and HJ Heavy Industries are exploring opportunities to enter the U.S. crane market. Industry sources confirmed on the 13th that these companies are actively considering this strategic move following Trump’s executive order.
HD Hyundai Samho has already demonstrated its technical capabilities by completing a container crane project at Busan New Port Pier 7 in early 2020 and securing a contract worth 179.6 billion won from Busan Port Authority for further crane production and installation at the Busan New Port West Container Terminal Phase 2-6.
Meanwhile, Doosan Enerbility’s Vietnamese subsidiary, Doosan Vina, has been successful in securing port crane orders across Southeast Asia, including Vietnam and India, with orders for 26 units in recent years.
Lee Eun-chang, an industry expert, noted that “the cranes being investigated by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) are container port cranes,” highlighting ZPMC’s dominance in this sector.
As domestic production of port cranes begins to ramp up in South Korea, there is optimism about accelerating South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation.
The current status sees HD Hyundai Samho, Doosan Enerbility, and HJ Heavy Industries poised to capitalize on new opportunities presented by shifting trade policies between major powers like the U.S. and China.
Source: Business Korea
