Coronavirus Impacting Wuhan's Submarine Industry

The following are some snippets on how deeply coronavirus hit Wuhan is involved in conventional submarine building and developing nuclear propulsion for submarine.

GlobalData, has reported, February 6, 2020, “Coronavirus is impacting China’s defense industry and shipbuilding” 

“Companies affected in Wuhan include Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group [an affiliate of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) see map below], which produces Submarines for the Chinese Navy and Naval University of Engineering, which produces a variety of underwater technologies for the Chinese Navy.

Davies concludes: “Whilst this delay will only have a minor impact in the short term, if the crisis continues and companies are forced to halt production for a longer period then this could have long term impact on China’s shipbuilding timelines.”

The GlobalData article was countered 18 days later by China/Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post “Laid low by coronavirus, Wuhan’s industrial heart is kept beating by its defence industries”, which reported, February 24, 2020: 

“[Wuhan] will remain an economic power thanks to its defence industries and its reputation as the cradle of Chinese naval shipbuilding.

...[Wuhan’s] PLA Naval University of Engineering...[is involved in developing] “a quieter propulsion system for China’s nuclear submarines.”

Some of the many things China Shipbuilding Trading (Wuhan) Co, Ltd.(CSTCWH) builds through its affiliate Wuchang Shipbuilding are:

-  China's latest Yuan-class submarines built at “Wuchang Shipbuilding, Wuhan” (see right sidebar).

Submarine Exports To Thailand and Pakistan

Wuchang Shipbuilding, Wuhan, also happens to be building the Yuan derivatives for export to Thailand and Pakistan.

-  Wikipedia reveals Thailand’s Yuan derivative S26T submarine Steel cutting ceremony...was held

    on 4 September 2018 at “Wuhan, China”.

-  Pakistan’s first four Yuan derivative S-20 [aka "S20”] submarines are also by Wuchang

    Shipbuilding, Wuhan. China Military Online reported April 29, 2019 “Pakistan navy chief visits

    Chinese shipyards"

“Admiral...Abbasi, Chief of the Naval Staff ...Pakistan, visited...Wuchang Shipbuilding (Group) Co. Ltd., ... [He] visited the Type 054AE/P frigate and the S-20 conventionally-powered submarine being built for the Pakistan Navy...[He] also attended a naming ceremony [at] the Shuangliu base in Wuhan, [naming] the S-20 class submarine built for Pakistan “Hangor”, as the first one of Hangor Class."

See Wuhan's Wuchang Shipyard at the southernmost blue ring. (Map courtesy CSIS China Power)

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Pete