Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia - Industry Market Research Report

Ship Shape: Increasing capital expenditure on defence has supported industry revenue

The Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry is beholden to the whims of government investment. Valuable contracts for delivery of Royal Australian Navy (RAN) warships and submarines have dictated the industry's trajectory. In 2017-18, industry revenue skyrocketed on the back of the Naval Shipbuilding Plan (NSP) announcement. The 2022 Defence Strategic Review (DSR) has cast uncertainty around many projects, with the Federal Government committing to reprioritising defence funding. However, the DSR has highlighted the commitments in-line with developing a more robust maritime division in tandem with the goals of the AUKUS alliance. Supply chain disruptions, travel restrictions and changing government objectives have delayed projects in recent years, minimising profit margins and threatening local manufacturers. Overall, industry revenue is expected to tilt downwards at an annualised 1.7% over the five years through 2023-24 to $4.2 billion. This trend includes an anticipated slump of 2.4% in the current year due to weaker demand for water freight transport and shipbuilding project delays.

Industry firms primarily manufacture or repair ships with a displacement of 50 tonnes or more. Builders that manufacture submarines and major components for ships and submarines are also included in the industry.

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry's key players and their market shares.