ZPMC
| Company type | State-owned enterprise; Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Engineering, Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Shanghai , China |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Container cranes, rubber-tyred gantry cranes, bulk material ship loaders/unloaders, bucket-wheel stackers/reclaimers, portal cranes, floating cranes, engineering vessels, steel bridge components |
| Owner | China Communications Construction Company (parent company) |
| Parent | China Communications Construction Company |
Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited (ZPMC) is a state-owned engineering enterprise based in China and recognized as the largest global producer of cranes and extensive steel structures. As of 2015, it controlled nearly 75% of the worldwide market share for container cranes.
History
Established in 1992, ZPMC operates as a fully owned subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company and is publicly traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The firm focuses on the design, production, installation, commissioning, delivery of fully assembled port machinery, after-sales support, and innovation of new products. Its portfolio primarily includes container cranes (QCs), such as the eight units provided for London Gateway, along with rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs), bulk material ship loaders and unloaders, bucket-wheel stackers and reclaimers, portal cranes, floating cranes, engineering vessels, and large-scale steel bridge components. Equipment manufactured by ZPMC is utilized at more than 120 key ports globally.
In 2009, the company adopted the name Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
In 2021, ZPMC supplied three state-of-the-art container cranes to the Port of Piraeus, effectively doubling its lifting capacity through remote operation technology.
During the same year, U.S. authorities expressed concerns after detecting alleged intelligence-gathering devices aboard a cargo vessel transporting ZPMC cranes to the Port of Baltimore. China rejected these claims as baseless. Following the 2023 Chinese balloon incident, American officials increased vigilance regarding potential espionage threats linked to ZPMC and examined its involvement in military-civil fusion initiatives.
By February 2024, U.S. officials revealed intentions for the United States Coast Guard to manage port crane cybersecurity and allocate billions toward replacing ZPMC cranes at ports across the United States. In March 2024, congressional investigations uncovered unauthorized communication hardware embedded within ZPMC cranes. A collaborative inquiry by the United States House Committee on Homeland Security and the United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party found that ZPMC exerted pressure on port operators to grant remote access permissions.
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge
Despite lacking prior experience in bridge construction, the company was selected to manufacture components for the new San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in the San Francisco Bay Area. California officials cited its "extensive steel fabrication capacity, sizable low-cost labor pool, and strong financial standing" as reasons for choosing ZPMC. The project involved 3,000 workers who built a primary bridge tower and completed 28 bridge deck sections.