OECD Shipbuilding Committee: record output and energy transition under discussion in Paris

On 8-9 April 2026, Paris hosts the spring meeting of the OECD Shipbuilding Committee (SBC), an event focused on analysing recent developments in global shipbuilding markets.

The agenda covers production trends, order portfolios, fleet renewal, rising demand from expanding maritime trade and yard capacity. Particular attention will be given to structural changes driven by the energy transition, geopolitical developments and evolving industrial dynamics.

The global shipbuilding industry is experiencing record-high production levels and unprecedented order backlogs, intensifying capacity utilisation pressures and accelerating the technological transition. Production has increasingly concentrated in a small number of yards, a trend especially pronounced in high-value segments such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and container ships.

Forward-looking demand projections indicate sustained newbuilding requirements through 2050, with fleet renewal becoming a dominant structural driver after 2030.

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