Chinese manufacturers have been quietly but rapidly gaining ground in the global offshore wind turbine foundation market. In 2025, 26% of all turbine foundations installed globally (excluding Mainland China) were supplied by Chinese manufacturers, up from virtually zero in 2020. This shift marks a major reconfiguration in the global supply chain, creating much-needed supply availability and could help to drive down offshore wind project costs at a time when the sector continues to face inflationary pressures.

While much discussion focuses on Chinese offshore wind turbines and turbine OEMs expanding globally, it is Chinese-manufactured offshore wind turbine foundations that have expanded rapidly into the global market, supported by a strong domestic track record, fabrication capacity and production cost advantages.

Foundations: A critical cost driver

Although turbines often receive the most attention, foundations are typically the second-highest cost component in offshore wind farms. Westwood forecasts turbine foundations to comprise 19% of global EPC spend on major component orders from 2026-30. Securing competitively priced turbine foundations can therefore have a sizeable impact on reducing total project cost.

FIGURE 1: GLOBAL OFFSHORE WIND EPC SPEND OUTLOOK (2026-30). NOTE: REFLECTS ESTIMATED SPEND ON MAJOR COMPONENT ORDERS GLOBALLY, INCLUDING MAINLAND CHINA. INSTALLATION SPENDING NOT INCLUDED. SOURCE: WESTWOOD WINDLOGIX

The growth story of Chinese-manufactured foundation exports

Chinese manufacturers became the world’s leading producers of offshore wind turbines in 2022, thanks to the domestic industry boom in Mainland China. However, turbine exports out of Mainland China have been minimal due to tighter regulatory scrutiny or perceived cybersecurity risks, limiting their adoption in other markets.

The situation is different for foundations.

Offshore wind turbine foundations have attracted fewer concerns – international adoption of Chinese-manufactured foundations has grown steadily as global developers increasingly view them as viable or even preferred options. The sector did face an early setback in 2011, when monopiles produced by Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) used for the Greater Gabbard project off the UK were found to have manufacturing defects. Since then, however, Chinese manufacturers have established a track record of installations through large-scale domestic projects over the past decade, demonstrating consistent delivery performance and gaining economies of scale, supporting the expansion into international exports.

FIGURE 2: GLOBAL INSTALLED TURBINE FOUNDATIONS BY MANUFACTURER REGION. SOURCE: WESTWOOD WINDLOGIX

Since 2021, exports have accelerated. Between 2015 and 2020, the majority of turbine foundations installed globally (ex-Mainland China) were procured primarily from European manufacturers. Supply chain dynamics have shifted dramatically since then: most recently, Chinese manufacturers captured 26% of the global market (ex-Mainland China) in 2025, growing from virtually zero in 2020. Taking Mainland China’s domestic projects into account further lifts the 2025 figure to a majority share of 51%.

FIGURE 3: GLOBAL INSTALLED TURBINE FOUNDATIONS (EX-MAINLAND CHINA PROJECTS) BY MANUFACTURER REGION. SOURCE: WESTWOOD WINDLOGIX

Why Mainland China has emerged as a major global supplier

Several factors underpin Mainland China’s rise as a major global supplier:

• Large manufacturing capacity. Built to meet Mainland China’s domestic offshore wind boom, this capacity is now being leveraged for exports as domestic demand stabilises and European manufacturers face production bottlenecks. This is further supported by the ability to manufacture extra-large monopiles at scale, as global projects increasingly require larger foundations for next-generation turbines.
• Cost advantages. Access to cheaper domestically produced steel and lower labour costs enable globally competitive pricing.
• Improving quality. Chinese manufacturers have progressed along the industry learning curve and are increasingly meeting international technical standards and certification requirements.

Dajin Heavy Industry’s breakout role in global supply

A few key companies have emerged amid Mainland China’s rising prominence on the global stage. Accounting for foundations currently installed or under construction, recent international orders have been placed with four different manufacturers, with Dajin Heavy Industry emerging as a leading choice.

FIGURE 4: INTERNATIONAL ORDERS OF CHINESE-MANUFACTURED FOUNDATIONS (INSTALLED/EPCI). SOURCE: WESTWOOD WINDLOGIX

Factors contributing to Dajin’s success in international markets mirror the drivers behind Mainland China’s rise on global stage. Dajin has a large domestic manufacturing capacity which it continues to expand – the company’s newly-built Caofeidian manufacturing facility in Tangshan, Hebei province, is currently ramping up for large-scale commercial production following earlier trials in December 2025. Dajin is also developing a vessel fleet for transporting components to allow for more integrated end-to-end logistics services, such as the King One heavy lift transport vessel which embarked on its maiden voyage in February this year to carry monopiles to Europe.

Furthermore, Dajin is strengthening its presence in the European logistics space, having secured a reservation agreement for 10 hectares of space at the Odense port in Denmark until 2030, which will serve as a regional storage and marshalling hub for European wind farms. In November 2025, Dajin signed an additional memorandum-of-understanding (MOU) to develop an offshore wind hub at the Port of Cuxhaven in Germany. Successful execution of its international order pipeline would reinforce investor confidence and affirm Dajin’s capability to meet global market expectations.

Beyond Dajin, Titan Wind Energy is another manufacturer headquartered in Mainland China that is also expanding its European footprint with a new monopile factory under construction in Cuxhaven, further underscoring the growing presence of Chinese suppliers in the international landscape. While no monopile orders have yet been publicly announced, the facility is building capacity aimed at supplying monopiles to international offshore wind projects, including in the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

Looking ahead: Mainland China’s expanding influence

As the global offshore wind industry continues to grow while navigating cost pressures, Westwood expects Chinese manufacturers to maintain and expand their leading role in the foundation supply chain.

This trend was exemplified in February 2026, when the UK’s Hornsea 3 project cancelled its turbine foundation contract with European supplier EEW and subsequently divided a revised order between three manufacturers, including Dajin.

Chinese manufacturers offer an attractive option for project developers, with available fabrication capacity, an established track record, competitive pricing, and a diversification beyond European-dominated supply. Mainland China is therefore well-positioned to grow as a central hub for offshore wind foundation production, as the global offshore wind industry continues to navigate cost pressures and seek out supply chain availability beyond just turbines.

To sustain long-term momentum, Chinese manufacturers will need to consistently deliver high-quality foundations and adhere to agreed delivery timelines to maintain confidence among international developers. While other external factors such as potential political pushback or introduction of local-content requirements are not currently presenting major barriers for foundations, these remain a wider consideration that could shape how export opportunities evolve in future.

Source: Westwood, by Hui Min Foong, Senior Analyst – Offshore Wind