The shipbuilding industry of Nantong, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, aims to manufacture 10 million tons of vessels valued at US$14.67 billion (RMB100 billion) a year by 2010 to make shipbuilding the city’s top economic pillar, China Business News reported, citing comments from vice mayor Shen Zhenxin to a conference on the city’s shipbuilding industry. The sector was worth US$4.40 billion (RMB30 billion) in 2007 from 2.74 million tons of vessels produced. The city is home to more than 100 shipbuilders employing 40,000 people and accounts for 15% of total production across China. Nantong has delivered more than 400 ships each weighing 10,000 tons or more over the past five years. It is on track to deliver nearly 100 ships of various types weighing a combined four million tons this year. The city’s shipbuilders have unfilled orders weighing in at 30 million tons .