Shipbuilding

Shipbuilders and marine equipment suppliers play a crucial role in responding to increased demand for alternative fuels and technologies and delivering new vessels on time. The OECD Shipbuilding Committee provides an overview of the current state of the shipbuilding industry. Find out more on the OECD website.

Price, Cost Development

Ratio of alternative-fuelled vessels in the number of contracted vessels between 2019 and 2023 by ship type and fuel type

Note: The data for 2023 include the period January-end August.

Source: OECD calculations based on the Clarksons World Fleet register.

Breakdown of vessels contracted in 2022 by ship type and fuel type

Source: OECD calculations based on the Clarksons World Fleet Register.

Price developments for LNG carriers (170-175k cm) 2019-2023

Note: Orange shadings cover the range where the deviation from the mean μ is less than ±1σ in each year.
Source: OECD calculations based on the Clarksons World Fleet Register and other sources.

Price developments for LNG carriers (175+ -200k cm) 2019-2023

Maritime Decarbonization and Digitalization

Trends in low-carbon patenting in maritime technologies (2005-2021)

Low-carbon maritime technology patents have seen an increase from 2005 to 2021, with a peak in 2015. Despite this growth, the share of climate-related patents in maritime technologies has stagnated, reverting to levels similar to those seen in 2005.

Source: OECD, STI Micro-data Lab: Intellectual Property Database, http://oe.cd/ipstats, October 2023.

Trends in low-carbon patenting in maritime technologies in selected economies (2005-2021)

The countries patenting the most low-carbon maritime technologies include the EU-27, Japan, Korea, the United States, and China. Each country exhibits distinct technological focuses; for instance, the EU patents most in renewable and hybrid-electric solutions, whereas Japan emphasizes watercraft hull designs. Since the late 2010s, China has emerged as a leading innovator.