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Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Jonathan Trotter Jonathan Trotter Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: September 2025 ANZSIC C2391

Revenue

$6.3bn

2025-26

$6.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

16,047

Businesses

413

Wages

$X.Xbn

Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia industry analysis

Lucrative government contracts to supply naval ships and submarines to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have heavily supported the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry. Shipbuilders have seen a significant surge in revenue over recent years thanks to the Arafura class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) program, which involves the construction of six vessels for the RAN for $3.6 billion. The program has underpinned growth in industry revenue, which is expected to have soared at an annualised 5.6% over the five years through 2025-26.

Trends and Insights

  • Government backing has driven industry growth and capability improvements. Record investment and consolidation efforts are strengthening local shipbuilding capacity and securing long-term industry stability.
  • Military shipbuilding is the dominant source of industry revenue, upheld by large-scale government programs. Civmec’s OPV initiative and long-term maintenance contracts have driven growth in the segment.
  • Queensland’s strategic northern location and thriving marine tourism market are driving demand for shipbuilding and repair services. Local facilities are essential for both tourism operators and defence projects, strengthening Queensland’s position as Australia’s leading maritime state.
  • Internally, companies compete for contracts based on their reputations, product and service reliability, and technical capabilities. This competition fosters innovation and advancements in the industry as companies fight to secure upgrade tenders.
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 5.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $6.3bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Government spending has backed revenue growth

  • The Defence industry commissions shipbuilders through the RAN to undertake high-value manufacturing projects, including constructing ships and submarines and performing ongoing repair and maintenance work.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Nuclear-powered submarine projects will benefit the submarine construction segment

  • The Australian Government has committed between $53.0 billion and $63.0 billion to the conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine program. These submarines will be built and sustained primarily by ASC Pty Ltd, in partnership with BAE Systems Australia. Construction is scheduled to commence in the late 2030s, with the first deliveries expected in the early 2040s.

Biggest companies in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2026
Revenue ($m)
2026
BAE Systems Australia
1,927.9
ASC
854.9
Thales Australia
567.7

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Military shipbuilding, Submarine construction and Commercial shipbuilding. Military shipbuilding is the largest segment of the Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Military shipbuilding’s revenue share climbs, boosted by Civmec’s OPV program

  • Activities in military shipbuilding encompass the construction of warships and supply vessels for military use. The goods in this segment are highly specialised, featuring unique designs and specifications that demand technologically advanced processes.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

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.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia include Military shipbuilding, Submarine construction, Commercial shipbuilding and Ship repair and maintenance.

Companies

Companies covered in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia include BAE Systems Australia, ASC and Thales Australia.

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia include frigate, catamaran and aukus.

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 2391 - Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Government backing has driven industry growth and capability improvements. Record investment and consolidation efforts are strengthening local shipbuilding capacity and secur...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Military shipbuilding is the dominant source of industry revenue, upheld by large-scale government programs. Civmec’s OPV initiative and long-term maintenance contracts have ...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Queensland’s strategic northern location and thriving marine tourism market are driving demand for shipbuilding and repair services. Local facilities are essential for both t...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Internally, companies compete for contracts based on their reputations, product and service reliability, and technical capabilities. This competition fosters innovation and a...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Major defence contractors like BAE Systems, ASC and Civmec continue to secure stable, long-term revenue through multibillion-dollar government projects and sustainment contrac...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of BAE Systems Australia's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of ASC's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Thales Australia's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for BAE Systems Australia, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for ASC, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Thales Australia, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The Australian Government has set forth rules and regulations, including the National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV). This standard stipulates the requirements for va...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Fixed-price government contracts and rising material costs have squeezed profit margins. Under this pressure, shipbuilders must maintain precise cost management and operation...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia in 2025?

The market size of the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia is $6.3bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia in 2025?

There are 413 businesses in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia?

The Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia 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 and Repair Services industry in Australia?

The Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 5.6 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia are BAE Systems Australia, ASC and Thales Australia

What does the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia include?

Military shipbuilding and Submarine construction are part of the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia is BAE Systems Australia.

How competitive is the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Shipbuilding and Repair Services industry in Australia.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

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