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Shipbuilding in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Veton Hoxhaj Veton Hoxhaj Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: September 2024 WZ C30.11DE

Revenue

€5.7bn

2024

€5.7bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XX.Xm

Employees

11,795

Businesses

54

Wages

€XXX.Xm

Shipbuilding in Germany industry analysis

Shipbuilding in Germany has been subject to strong fluctuations over the past five years. Before the pandemic, demand for cruise ships was very high, which led to high capacity utilisation at many shipyards. However, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, demand for new ships plummeted, particularly in the cruise segment, as travel restrictions and economic uncertainties severely impacted tourism worldwide. Global vaccination campaigns and the easing of travel restrictions helped tourism to slowly pick up again. At the same time, companies received more orders from Asia and for offshore wind energy projects, which opened up additional sources of income. Another important driver of the recovery was the increasing demand for sustainable and climate-neutral shipping solutions. This led to companies investing more in innovative and environmentally friendly technologies in order to meet market requirements. Overall, the industry managed to gradually recover from the pandemic-related slump and create a sustainable basis for growth. Despite this progress, industry turnover has fallen by an average of 1.4% per year since 2019.In 2024, industry turnover is expected to increase by 3% and reach 5.7 billion euros. The higher demand for naval vessels, partly due to the Ukraine conflict, will also contribute to this. In addition, more cruise ships are likely to be ordered again, although these are currently comparatively expensive compared to 2019 due to the higher price of steel. Meyer Werft in particular is benefiting from this development. For the first time, the Oriental Land Company (OLC) ordered a cruise ship with an order value of over EUR 1 billion, which is scheduled for completion in 2028. Other major projects include several cruise ships for Disney Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line as well as the Asuka III for the Japanese NYK Group. These orders secure numerous jobs and emphasise the global competitiveness of the German shipbuilding industry. At the same time, they strengthen confidence in the industry and could attract new investment.By 2029, IBISWorld expects average annual growth of 2.8% and industry turnover of 6.6 billion euros in 2029. Industry turnover will probably not return to the pre-crisis level of 2019 until 2027. The marine segment is also likely to contribute to the recovery, with sales expected to increase in the future. It is to be expected that industry players will increasingly endeavour to increase the fuel efficiency of their ships in the coming five-year period.

Trends and Insights

  • The industry players are concentrating on areas in which high prices can still be realised internationally. This applies in particular to the production of naval and cruise ships.
  • Naval ships are the industry's top-selling product segment. Germany and Europe have increased their defence budgets in the context of the Ukraine conflict, which is likely to result in more naval ships being ordered again.
  • The majority of shipbuilders can be found in northern Germany. For shipbuilding, a location by the sea or access to the sea via a river is a decisive criterion for the choice of location.
  • German shipbuilders compete primarily with manufacturers from Asia. Production in Asia can be very cheap, while production in Germany is very expensive. In order to remain competitive, German manufacturers have to score with outstanding quality.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €5.7bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

German shipbuilders must impress with their quality and technical sophistication

  • Shipbuilders based in Germany can only survive on the market if they occupy a leading technological position in international comparison and produce ships of the highest quality. This is the only way to justify the often significantly higher prices of German ships compared to the competition from Asia, especially South Korea. However, even with a high standard of quality, German shipyards can hardly withstand the competitive pressure at international level in certain areas such as inland and sea freight ships.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Shipbuilding in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

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

Trends and Insights

Biggest companies in the Shipbuilding in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH
1,917.9
Lürssen Maritime Beteiligungen GmbH & Co. KG
1,600.0
Meyer Neptun GmbH
930.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Shipbuilding in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Naval vessels, Passenger ships and Cargo ships and tankers. Naval vessels is the largest segment of the Shipbuilding in Germany.

Trends and Insights

The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are increasing the sales potential of naval vessels

  • Naval vessels include military ships such as frigates.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The industry builds ships for passenger and goods transport as well as for the navy, government services and fishing. The production of components such as welded steel parts, factory overhauls and the conversion and expansion of ships are also part of the industry's activities. The production of ship IT and propulsion elements such as engines as well as the repair, maintenance and scrapping of ships are not included.

What's included in this industry?

Naval vesselsPassenger shipsCargo ships and tankers

Companies

Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbHLürssen Maritime Beteiligungen GmbH & Co. KGMeyer Neptun GmbH

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CLASSIFICATION SOCIETYYACHTBOOTFRACHTRATE

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 30.11 - Shipbuilding in Germany

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

The industry players are concentrating on areas in which high prices can still be realised internationally. This applies in particular to the production of naval and cruise s...

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 (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • 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

Naval ships are the industry's top-selling product segment. Germany and Europe have increased their defence budgets in the context of the Ukraine conflict, which is likely to...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • 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

The majority of shipbuilders can be found in northern Germany. For shipbuilding, a location by the sea or access to the sea via a river is a decisive criterion for the choice...

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 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, 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

German shipbuilders compete primarily with manufacturers from Asia. Production in Asia can be very cheap, while production in Germany is very expensive. In order to remain co...

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 2019-2024
  • 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

The market concentration in the industry is high. Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH, Lürssen Maritime Beteiligungen GmbH & Co KG and Meyer Neptun GmbH dominate the market.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Lürssen Maritime Beteiligungen GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Meyer Neptun GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Lürssen Maritime Beteiligungen GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Meyer Neptun GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

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

Analyst insights

The global market price for steel determines the production costs of shipbuilding. Steel is the most important material in shipbuilding. The global market price for steel is ...

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 (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

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

The industry is only marginally profitable. However, the strengthening of the marine segment as a result of the global political conflicts offers the potential to achieve a h...

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 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

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 (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

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

What is the market size of the Shipbuilding industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Shipbuilding industry in Germany is €5.7bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Shipbuilding in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 54 businesses in the Shipbuilding industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Shipbuilding industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Shipbuilding industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 1.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Shipbuilding industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Shipbuilding industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Shipbuilding market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Shipbuilding market in Germany are Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH, Lürssen Maritime Beteiligungen GmbH & Co. KG and Meyer Neptun GmbH

What does the Shipbuilding in Germany include?

Naval vessels and Passenger ships are part of the Shipbuilding industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Shipbuilding in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH.

How competitive is the Shipbuilding industry in Germany?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Shipbuilding industry in Germany.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Germany
  • Inland Passenger Water Transport in Germany
  • Inland Freight Water Transport in Germany

International industries

  • Global Ship & Boat Building
  • Ship Building in the US
  • Ship Building in Canada
  • Shipbuilding and Repair Services in Australia
  • Shipbuilding and Repair Services in New Zealand

View all industries in Germany

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 Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

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.