NAICS 336611 Quarterly Industry Report
Ship Building and Repairing
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 336611Sector: 33Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This Fair Market Value industry report for NAICS 336611 draws on verified data from the U.S. Census Bureau[5], Bureau of Labor Statistics[6], and the Small Business Administration[7]. Our research team compiles establishment counts, employment data, and SBA eligibility criteria specific to ship building and repairing. Reports are updated quarterly to reflect new Census releases and regulatory changes.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the ship building and repairing industry.
Industry Definition & Overview
Ship Building and Repairing (NAICS 336611) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in operating shipyards that build or repair ships. Products include naval combatant vessels (aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, frigates), commercial cargo ships, tankers, container vessels, offshore drilling platforms and production vessels, tugboats, ferries, barges, and dredges. Ship repair includes drydock services, hull maintenance, machinery overhaul, and major conversion and modernization programs. The U.S. Census Bureau[5] classifies this industry under ship and boat building.
Roughly 680 active businesses employ an estimated 110,300 workers in this industry. Naval shipbuilding dominates revenue, with Huntington Ingalls Industries (aircraft carriers, submarines, amphibious ships) and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (destroyers) and Electric Boat division (submarines) holding the majority of U.S. Navy new construction contracts. Commercial shipbuilding in the U.S. focuses on Jones Act-compliant vessels required for domestic waterway trade, including tankers, container ships, and inland towing vessels.
Shipyard operations require massive infrastructure: graving docks or floating drydocks for hull construction and repair, gantry cranes rated to 900 tons for module erection, plate shops for steel cutting and forming, pipe fabrication shops, and outfitting areas for machinery and electrical installation. Modern shipbuilding uses modular construction methods, fabricating large hull sections (grand blocks) in covered production halls before transporting them to the building dock for erection and joining. A single aircraft carrier program spans eight to ten years from steel cutting to delivery. Ship repair yards provide scheduled maintenance, emergency drydocking, and regulatory inspection compliance for both commercial fleets and Navy vessels throughout their operational lives.
What's Included in This Industry
- Naval combatant vessel construction
- Submarine building and overhaul
- Commercial cargo ship construction
- Barge and inland waterway vessel building
- Offshore platform and vessel construction
- Tugboat and workboat building
- Ferry manufacturing
- Ship repair and drydock services
- Ship conversion and modernization programs
- Dredge vessel construction
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336 |
| Industry Group | Ship and Boat Building | 3366 |
| NAICS Industry | Ship and Boat Building | 33661 |
| National Industry | Ship Building and Repairing | 336611 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 336612 | Boat Building | Manufactures boats under 100 feet for recreational and light commercial use rather than the large ships, naval vessels, and commercial cargo carriers built in shipyards classified here |
| 336510 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | Produces railroad rolling stock for land-based freight and passenger transport rather than the water-based ships and offshore vessels constructed in this maritime industry |
| 336999 | All Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | Manufactures other transportation equipment not classified elsewhere, distinguished from the specific ship building and repair operations covered by this dedicated shipyard code |
| 237990 | Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | Constructs marine infrastructure including piers and wharves rather than the ships and floating structures built at shipyard facilities classified in this manufacturing industry |
| 488390 | Other Support Activities for Water Transportation | Provides marine cargo handling and port services rather than the ship construction and drydock repair operations performed at manufacturing shipyards in this classification |
| 332420 | Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing | Fabricates heavy gauge metal tanks and vessels for stationary applications rather than the mobile marine vessels and floating platforms constructed at shipyards here |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 13.4% | 64 |
| 2 | Louisiana | 12.6% | 60 |
| 3 | California | 10.3% | 49 |
| 4 | Texas | 9.8% | 47 |
| 5 | Virginia | 9.0% | 43 |
| 6 | Washington | 8.2% | 39 |
| 7 | Alabama | 4.4% | 21 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 2.7% | 13 |
| 9 | Oregon | 2.7% | 13 |
| 10 | Maine | 2.3% | 11 |
% Of Establishments
0%
13%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
112
Total SBA Loans
$77.7M
Total Loan Volume
$694K
Average Loan Size
10 yrs
Average Loan Term
9.98%
Average Interest Rate
2,776
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: The SBA[7] sets the size standard for NAICS 336611 at 1,300 employees. Firms below this threshold qualify for small business set-aside contracts and SBA-backed lending programs. Navy shipbuilding and repair represents the single largest federal procurement category in this industry. The SBA's contracting programs[8] support smaller shipyards pursuing Navy maintenance contracts, Coast Guard vessel procurements, and Army Corps of Engineers dredge and workboat programs. Eligible businesses can access SBA 7(a) loans[9] for working capital, equipment, and acquisition financing, while 504 loans[10] support major fixed-asset purchases including real estate and heavy machinery.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GBC International Bank | 8 | $40.0M | $5.0M |
| 2 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 32 | $12.6M | $393K |
| 3 | Newtek Bank, National Association | 16 | $6.0M | $375K |
| 4 | Bank of America, National Association | 16 | $5.8M | $363K |
| 5 | Paradise Bank | 8 | $4.0M | $500K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What types of businesses are classified under NAICS 336611?
Shipyards that build or repair ships classify here. Products include aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, commercial cargo ships, tankers, barges, tugboats, ferries, offshore platforms, and dredges per the Census Bureau[5] classification. Ship repair and drydock services also belong in this code.
How is the ship building industry structured?
Roughly 680 businesses employ an estimated 110,300 workers per Census data[11]. Two major shipbuilders (Huntington Ingalls, General Dynamics) dominate Navy vessel construction while dozens of mid-size yards build commercial Jones Act vessels, tugs, and barges. Hundreds of smaller yards focus on ship repair and maintenance.
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 336611?
The SBA[7] sets the threshold at 1,300 employees. Businesses with fewer than 1,300 average employees qualify as small for federal contracting preferences and SBA-backed financing programs including 7(a) and 504 loans.
What NAICS codes are related to ship building?
Related codes include 336612 (Boat Building), 336510 (Railroad Rolling Stock), 336999 (Other Transportation), 237990 (Marine Construction), 488390 (Port Services), and 332420 (Metal Tanks). Each covers either smaller vessel manufacturing, other transport modes, or marine infrastructure distinct from shipyard construction and repair.
What industries interact with shipyards?
Defense agencies, commercial shipping carriers, steel producers, boat builders, and offshore drilling companies interact most directly. Navy vessel construction and repair programs generate the majority of industry revenue while Jones Act domestic trade requirements sustain commercial ship and barge construction at U.S. yards.
What activities are included in NAICS 336611?
Activities include cutting and forming steel plate for hull sections, welding structural hull blocks, installing propulsion machinery and piping systems, outfitting electrical and HVAC systems, launching vessels and conducting sea trials, performing drydock hull maintenance and underwater repairs, and executing major ship conversion and service life extension programs.
Can shipyards qualify for SBA loans?
Yes, firms below 1,300 employees qualify for SBA lending programs[8] including 7(a) and 504 loans. Floating drydocks, gantry cranes, CNC plate cutting systems, and pipe fabrication shops represent capital investments suited to SBA 504 equipment financing.
Where are shipyards concentrated?
Major naval shipyards operate in Newport News, Virginia (Huntington Ingalls), Bath, Maine (General Dynamics BIW), and Groton, Connecticut (Electric Boat submarines). Commercial and repair yards concentrate along the Gulf Coast in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama near offshore energy and inland waterway markets. Additional clusters serve the Great Lakes, Pacific Northwest, and mid-Atlantic regions. Deepwater access and heavy-lift crane infrastructure determine which yards can handle the largest vessel classes.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [6]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [7]Small Business Administration sba.gov
- [8]SBA's contracting programs sba.gov
- [9]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [10]504 loans sba.gov
- [11]Census data naicslist.com
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