Polish Shipbuilding Sector on the Wave of Global Growth – The Future Belongs to Innovators

After years of severe downturn, the shipbuilding industry has entered a phase of strong cyclical recovery. The global shipbuilding orderbook is growing rapidly, while production capacity in many shipyards is already booked several years ahead. The current shipbuilding upturn is not driven by a single factor, but rather by the convergence of several powerful market, technological and geopolitical trends.

Asian shipyards are the primary beneficiaries of this upturn, but European shipyards, including those in Poland, are also benefiting. Some Polish shipyards already have orderbooks filled several years into the future.

We are at a pivotal moment. Decarbonisation and digitalisation — including the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence — are gaining momentum and will transform the maritime sector in the years ahead. At the same time, we face growing challenges related to national security and the need to expand defence shipbuilding capabilities.

Europe is moving towards strengthening its leading global position in the design and construction of technologically advanced vessels. The Polish shipbuilding industry also has significant strengths, but it faces challenges that must be addressed. One of the most pressing is the growing shortage of skilled personnel.

The panel will explore a key question: How can Poland effectively leverage the current market upturn and build a strong, globally recognised brand for its shipbuilding industry?

The discussion will focus on the strategic directions for the development of Poland’s shipbuilding industry amid the global recovery of the sector. A central objective will be to identify a pathway and develop a model enabling Polish companies to move beyond the role of subcontractors and become providers of technologically advanced shipbuilding products and services offering significant added value.

The future belongs to innovators.