IBISWorld Platform
Answer any industry question in minutes with our entire database at your fingertips.
Shipbuilding in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
Shipbuilding revenue is forecast to expand at a compound annual rate of 0.7% to £7.2 billion over the five years through 2025-26, including forecast growth of 1.2% in 2025-26. Large shipbuilders like BAE Systems and Babcock International produce military vessels for the Royal Navy and foreign governments, providing a steady revenue stream. Import competition in the passenger and cargo ship segment is intensifying due to lower production costs in Europe and Asia, leading to the demise of this segment. Despite this, exports account for a large share of revenue thanks to warships built for foreign militaries. In August 2025, BAE Systems strengthened its order book after securing a £10 billion contract to supply the Norwegian navy with five new Type 26 frigates, cementing the company’s market position.
Access this data your way
The Shipbuilding in the UK Industry analysis is available in multiple formats to fit seamlessly into your workflow.
API Data Delivery
Feed trusted, human-driven industry intelligence straight into your platform.
Integrations
Streamline your workflow with IBISWorld’s intelligence built into your toolkit.
What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released September 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code C30.110. Companies in this industry build ships and boats and construct floating structures. The industry includes ship rebuilding and overhauls. Companies in the industry produce warships, ferries, cargo ships and offshore support vessels. Warships are built for UK and foreign militaries. Related terms covered in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom include destroyer, frigate, dredger, freight rates and surface ships.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom include Passenger and cargo vessels, Other vessels and Warships.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom include BAE Systems plc, Babcock International Group plc and Cammell Laird Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed product and service segmentation, analysis of major markets and international trade data for the for the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.
Trusted by industry professionals
More than 6,000 businesses use IBISWorld to shape local and global economies
We were able to supplement our reports with IBISWorld’s information from both a qualitative and quantitative standpoint. All of our reporting now features some level of IBISWorld integration.
IBISWorld delivers the crisp business knowledge we need to drive our business. Whether it be serving up our major clients, winning new business or educating on industry issues, IBISWorld brings real value.
IBISWorld has revolutionised business information — which has proved commercially invaluable to exporters, investors and public policy professionals in Australia and overseas.
When you’re able to speak to clients and be knowledgeable about what they do and the state that they operate in, they’re going to trust you a lot more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom is £7.2bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 450 businesses in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.4 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom?
The Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom is likely to be impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a moderate share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom?
The Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom is likely to be impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a moderate share of industry revenue.
Has the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 0.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom are BAE Systems plc, Babcock International Group plc and Cammell Laird Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders Ltd
What does the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom include?
Passenger and cargo vessels and Fishing boats are part of the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom is BAE Systems plc.
How competitive is the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.
Cut through the noise with intelligence you can trust
