Marine Shipbuilding and Repair
The shipbuilding and repair industry employs 25,000 people. It has a turnover of £1.95 billion (excluding VAT), with Gross Value Added (GVA) standing at £912 million (= £37,100 GVA per head). (2004 statistics, Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) 2005). Strong competition from Eastern Europe and the Far East has made commercial shipbuilding a highly challenging market for European shipyards, and there are few remaining large UK shipyards operating in the commercial sector. However, there is a large naval shipbuilding programme expected in future years for the Royal Navy, and the UK has large naval yards in Portsmouth, Plymouth, the Clyde, Barrow and Rosyth.