CHINA SHIPBUILDING TRADING CO., LTD., or CSTC in abbreviation, is an industrial trading company incorporated in the shipbuilding system of China and specially engaged in the export and import businesses of the shipbuilding industry of China. Since its inauguration in 1982, CSTC has provided enterprises and institutions of the shipbuilding industry with active services. It has contributed its share in boosting exports of the industry by deepening reforms of the foreign trade system, sharpening its own competitive edge and achieving remarkable success in bringing impetus to Chinese shipbuildings for edging further into the world market. Until 2000, it has exported 358 commercial ships of 9.04 million dwt to Denmark, Italy, Belgium, Greece, etc. Types of the export ships have been developed from conventional bulk carries and crude oil tankers into more sophisticated vessels of state-of-the-art designs, like chemical carriers, product carriers, car carriers, multipurpose vessels, CONAIR containership, high-speed containerships, self-unloading ships, large LPG carriers, LNG carriers, ROPAX and VLCC. Ships exported have developed from the 20,000 dwt category to the 300,000 dwt category.

Besides its key operation of ship export, CSTC has diversified its business into other sectors as well. Ships exported have been extended from civil to naval ships. Products exported have been developed from ships to shipboard equipment, machinery products and offshore units. Foreign trade has been enriched with ship repairs, ship designing, project contracting and labor services. Trading methods formerly were limited to product export, equipment import, know how transfer, compensation trade, co-production and process and assembly, but now have been much more extended, covering counter trade, transit trade, joint-ventured shipping, industrial enterprising, high tech development, real estate, housing estate service, bid invitation agency, bank credit and finance services, etc. Together with flexibility, credibility and attentive after sales service, CSTC has won favorable comments from all customers home and abroad.

For the purpose of market development, CSTC has set-up regional companies in Chinese cities where shipbuilding enterprises and institutions are relatively concentrated. And established eight branch companies or representative offices in Hong kong, USA, Germany, Russia, Algeria, Thailand, Iran, Pakistan. In addition, over a dozen agencies for sales of machinery products are opened-up in Southeast Asian, North American, West European and other countries. By channeling information and providing linkage worldwide, CSTC has produced a bridge effect for Chinese shipbuilders to venture further into the world market.