Peer review of the Norwegian shipbuilding industry

Norway is a very open country where labour costs are higher than in most other maritime economies and where labour costs in the maritime sector are higher than the average of manufacturing sectors in Norway’s competitive advantage is based on high investment in research and development. The Norwegian shipbuilding industry is part of a maritime cluster which also includes international shipping companies (6th largest fleet in the world), equipment manufacturers, classification societies, ship designers, brokers, and providers of insurance and financial services. In the context of the lower demand for offshore vessels, the Norwegian shipbuilding industry focuses on the production of other vessel types including fishing vessels and fish carrying vessels and the upgrading of other segments, such as specialized vessels and workboats.