Shipbuilding market analysis in Poland
According to Statistics Poland (GUS), Polish shipyards repaired 387 ships in 2025, and their order book for new ships stood at 12 vessels at year-end, up from 5 a year earlier. Ship and boat building and repair employed 29,509 people in 2024. This brief brings together data on the size of the industry, the largest shipyards, Polish Navy shipbuilding programmes, offshore wind, ports and exports. It also covers the challenges and outlook for the coming years.
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How big is the shipbuilding industry in Poland?
According to GUS, 29,509 people worked in ship and boat building and repair in 2024, and Polish shipyards repaired 387 ships in 2025.
Repairs are the largest part of Polish shipbuilding. In 2024 shipyards repaired 403 ships worth US$332.4 m. The record year was 2023, with repairs worth US$463.4 m. According to preliminary GUS data, 387 ships with a combined tonnage of over 4.0 m GT were repaired in 2025, slightly fewer than a year earlier.
Most repairs take place in Pomerania. In 2024 shipyards in Pomorskie province repaired 306 ships worth US$299.2 m, and those in Zachodniopomorskie province 97 ships worth US$33.3 m.
Newbuilding figures are smaller. According to data from the Ship Design and Research Centre (CTO) published by GUS, Polish shipyards completed one seagoing ship in 2024 and four in 2023. On top of that come hulls built for foreign shipyards and owners: 31 hulls were completed in 2024 and 34 in 2023.
The order book is growing. At the end of 2024 it held 4 ferries and 1 other vessel. By the end of 2025 it held 12 ships. The repair order book at the end of 2024 held 150 ships worth US$159.4 m, up from 93 ships a year earlier.
Employment in the industry has grown since 2020. It peaked in 2023 (30,373 people). In 2024, 29,509 people worked in the industry, with average employment of 29,692.6 FTEs.
| Indicator | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seagoing ships completed (units) | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | n/a |
| Order book at year-end (units) | 11 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 12 |
| Ships repaired (units) | 444 | 455 | 571 | 458 | 403 | 387 |
| Value of repairs (US$ m) | 310.8 | 293.9 | 324.1 | 463.4 | 332.4 | n/a |
| People working in ship and boat building and repair | 25,689 | 27,811 | 28,968 | 30,373 | 29,509 | n/a |
GUS counts only completed seagoing ships; hulls are counted separately.
02
Which are the largest shipyards in Poland?
According to GUS data for 2024, three-quarters of ship repairs (306 of 403 ships) were carried out by shipyards in Pomorskie province. The main centres are Gdańsk (the Remontowa group, Karstensen) and Gdynia (PGZ Stocznia Wojenna, Nauta, CRIST). In Szczecin, the Wulkan and MSR Gryfia shipyards belong to the state-owned Fundusz Rozwoju Spółek group.
Polish shipbuilding is made up of a few groups and many smaller companies. The split is simple. The Remontowa group is privately owned by Polish capital. PGZ is the state-owned defence group. The Szczecin shipyards belong to Fundusz Rozwoju Spółek, which is also state-owned. There are also several private and foreign-owned companies.
Each shipyard has its own specialisation. Remontowa Shipbuilding builds ships for the Polish Navy and specialised vessels. Remontowa Ship Repair Yard handles repairs and conversions. In December 2025 it delivered the ferry Jantar Unity to its owner, and a second ferry, Bursztyn Unity, is due at the end of 2026.
In Gdynia, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna is the prime contractor for the Miecznik frigates and the Ratownik rescue ship. Nauta, also part of PGZ, repairs ships and builds hull blocks. CRIST builds offshore wind vessels and ferries. In May 2026 it signed a contract for a fully electric ferry for Estonia.
In Szczecin, the Wulkan shipyard makes steel structures for offshore wind and part of the Ratownik hull. It is also building a floating dock for MSR Gryfia.
| Shipyard | City | Owner | Specialisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remontowa Shipbuilding | Gdańsk | Remontowa Holding (private, Polish-owned) | Polish Navy ships (Kormoran II, Hydrograf), specialised vessels |
| Remontowa Ship Repair Yard | Gdańsk | Remontowa Holding | repairs, conversions, ro-pax ferries (Jantar Unity, Bursztyn Unity) |
| Karstensen Shipyard Poland | Gdańsk | Karstensens Skibsværft (Denmark) | hulls for its Danish parent yard |
| PGZ Stocznia Wojenna | Gdynia | Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (State Treasury) | Miecznik frigates, Ratownik rescue ship |
| Nauta | Gdynia | Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa | ship and naval vessel repairs, hull blocks |
| CRIST | Gdynia | private, Polish-owned | offshore vessels, ferries, hulls |
| Stocznia Szczecińska Wulkan | Szczecin | Fundusz Rozwoju Spółek (State Treasury) | offshore steel structures, hull sections, floating dock |
| MSR Gryfia | Szczecin | Fundusz Rozwoju Spółek group | ship repairs |
For foreign suppliers: most Polish yards work as integrators or subcontractors within a group. Map who owns each yard and which programmes it holds before you approach it.
03
Which ships are Polish shipyards building for the Polish Navy?
According to RMF24, Wicher, the first frigate of the Miecznik programme, was launched on 13 August 2026 at PGZ Stocznia Wojenna in Gdynia. It is Poland’s largest current shipbuilding programme. Work is also under way on Kormoran II mine countermeasure vessels, the Ratownik rescue ship and two hydrographic ships.
Miecznik. The programme covers three frigates: Wicher, Burza and Huragan. The contract with the consortium of PGZ, PGZ Stocznia Wojenna and Remontowa Shipbuilding was signed in July 2021. The ships are based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design. Babcock has extended its support for the programme until 2031. After Wicher’s launch, work continues on the other ships. Burza’s keel was laid on 18 December 2025, and steel cutting for Huragan began in April 2026. PGZ Stocznia Wojenna outsources some blocks to other yards. CRIST built Wicher’s bow block, and Nauta is building Burza’s stern block (contract of 22 May 2026).
Kormoran II. Remontowa Shipbuilding is building a series of six mine countermeasure vessels. The first three (Kormoran, Albatros and Mewa) are already in Navy service. The fourth, Jaskółka, has been on sea trials since March 2026. The fifth, Rybitwa, is due to join the Navy in March 2027, and the sixth, Czajka, in 2027.
Ratownik. PGZ Stocznia Wojenna is building a rescue ship about 96 m long. The keel was laid on 4 February 2026. The Wulkan shipyard in Szczecin will build the bow block (agreement of May 2026). The ship is due to join the Navy in 2029.
Hydrograf. On 28 May 2026 Remontowa Shipbuilding signed a contract for two Project 876 hydrographic ships. The order is worth about PLN 1.5 bn net and is financed through the EU’s SAFE loan instrument.
Delfin. Remontowa Shipbuilding is also building two signals intelligence ships as a subcontractor to Sweden’s Saab, with delivery planned for 2027–2028.
| Programme | Ship type | Number of ships | Shipyard | Status, 10.2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miecznik | multi-role frigate | 3 | PGZ Stocznia Wojenna (with Remontowa Shipbuilding) | Wicher launched 08.2026; Burza and Huragan under construction |
| Kormoran II | mine countermeasure vessel | 6 | Remontowa Shipbuilding | 3 in service, 3 under construction or on trials |
| Ratownik | rescue ship | 1 | PGZ Stocznia Wojenna | keel laid 02.2026, delivery planned for 2029 |
| Hydrograf (Project 876) | hydrographic ship | 2 | Remontowa Shipbuilding | contract signed 05.2026 |
| Delfin | signals intelligence ship | 2 | Remontowa Shipbuilding (subcontractor to Saab) | delivery planned for 2027–2028 |
For foreign suppliers: naval programmes run to 2031 and are split into hull blocks and systems packages. Subcontracting to the prime yard is the usual route in.
04
How is offshore wind changing the shipbuilding market?
According to offshoreWIND.biz, the last of 76 turbines was installed at Baltic Power, Poland’s first offshore wind farm, on 7 October 2026. The government targets at least 18 GW of offshore wind capacity in the Baltic by 2040 (gov.pl, 2026).
The first farm is running. Baltic Power (ORLEN 51%, Northland Power 49%) has 76 Vestas 15 MW turbines, about 1.1–1.2 GW in total. It delivered first power to the grid on 10 July 2026. Construction involved 110 vessels and around 7,000 people.
More farms are under construction. Foundation installation at Baltica 2 (PGE and Ørsted, 1.5 GW) began in May 2026. It will have 111 monopiles, 107 of them for turbines. First power is expected in H1 2027. Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 (Equinor and Polenergia, 1.44 GW) have been under construction since 2025, with first power planned for 2027 and full operation for 2028.
What this means for shipyards. Offshore wind brings Polish shipyards orders for service vessels, steel structures and foundation components. CRIST has built vessels for installing and servicing wind farms. The Wulkan shipyard is carrying out an offshore contract worth PLN 50 m and preparing further ones (Portal Stoczniowy, 06.2026).
Installation ports. According to Rzeczpospolita, ORLEN Neptun’s offshore terminal in Świnoujście has been operating since June 2025. A deep-water T5 terminal is being built in Gdańsk to serve further wind farms.
| Wind farm | Investors | Capacity | Status, 10.2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltic Power | ORLEN, Northland Power | approx. 1.1–1.2 GW (76 turbines) | all turbines installed, first power 07.2026 |
| Baltica 2 | PGE, Ørsted | 1.5 GW | foundation installation, first power planned for H1 2027 |
| Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 | Equinor, Polenergia | 1.44 GW | under construction, first power planned for 2027 |
For foreign suppliers: with phase I farms coming online in 2026–2028, the opportunity shifts from installation towards operation and maintenance, service vessels and phase II projects.
05
How much cargo do Polish seaports handle?
According to preliminary GUS data, Polish seaports handled 128.0 m t of cargo in 2025, 3.1% more than in 2024.
Gdańsk is the largest port, with 58.8% of cargo. It is followed by Gdynia (16.0%), Świnoujście (15.4%) and Szczecin (8.6%). In 2025 Szczecin (+10.8%) and Świnoujście (+7.2%) grew fastest. Cargo handled in Gdynia fell by 11.7%.
Liquid bulk was the largest cargo group (43.9%), including crude oil and petroleum products (36.7%). Dry bulk accounted for 23.5% and containers for 20.7%. Container handling grew by 8.6%.
Transit is growing fast. In 2025 it reached 24.7 m t, 14.0% more than a year earlier. Gdańsk handled 65.7% of it.
In 2025, 20,300 ships called at Polish ports (20,000 a year earlier). Ports handled 2.4 m passengers, 2.7% fewer than in 2024.
| Port | Share of cargo handled | Change y/y |
|---|---|---|
| Gdańsk | 58.8% | +6.0% |
| Gdynia | 16.0% | −11.7% |
| Świnoujście | 15.4% | +7.2% |
| Szczecin | 8.6% | +10.8% |
| Police | 0.8% | −1.7% |
| Other | 0.4% | n/a |
| Total | 128.0 m t | +3.1% |
06
What do Polish shipyards specialise in, and where do exports go?
According to Eurostat data, Poland exported ships, boats and floating structures (HS 89) worth US$2,980.5 m in 2025, including US$1,173.7 m of yachts and leisure boats.
Poland is a major producer of yachts and motor boats. Their exports (HS 8903) have stayed at about US$1.1–1.3 bn a year. In 2025 the largest buyers were the USA (21.4%), Germany (12.4%), France (8.2%), the Netherlands (6.4%) and the UK (6.2%).
The second large group is passenger and cargo ships (HS 8901), with exports of US$1,406.4 m in 2025. This figure needs care: it also includes sales of second-hand ships and changes of ownership, not only new ships from Polish yards.
Polish shipyards are also subcontractors to Western European yards. They build hulls and hull sections that are outfitted abroad. According to GUS, 31 hulls were completed in Poland in 2024. Karstensen Shipyard Poland builds hulls in Gdańsk for its Danish parent yard.
Ferries and electric or hybrid vessels are gaining importance. Remontowa Ship Repair Yard is building ro-pax ferries for a Polish owner, and CRIST is building a fully electric ferry for Estonia (delivery planned for the end of 2028).
Imports of ships and boats (HS 89) were US$1,413.8 m in 2025, less than half of exports.
| Year | Exports HS 89 | of which yachts and boats (HS 8903) | Imports HS 89 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,162.4 | 1,161.3 | 2,053.6 |
| 2023 | 3,245.3 | 1,300.2 | 1,392.6 |
| 2024 | 3,135.9 | 1,130.0 | 1,583.1 |
| 2025 | 2,980.5 | 1,173.7 | 1,413.8 |
In 2025 trade statistics, 26.2% of HS 89 exports were assigned to unspecified areas, so country shares are given only for yachts and boats.
For foreign buyers: Poland is a proven source of hulls, sections and leisure boats. Hull subcontracting is the most established route for Western European yards.
07
What are the challenges and outlook for shipbuilding in Poland?
According to GUS, Polish shipyards’ order book grew to 12 ships at the end of 2025, up from 5 a year earlier. Polish Navy programmes provide work for shipyards until at least 2031.
Outlook. Three sources support demand. The first is defence programmes: Miecznik until 2031, Kormoran II, Ratownik and Hydrograf. The second is offshore wind, with Baltica 2 and Bałtyk 2 and 3 being built in 2026–2028 and an 18 GW target for 2040. The third is the renewal of Baltic ferry fleets. New infrastructure also matters. The floating dock being built in Szczecin for MSR Gryfia will take ships over 230 m long.
Challenges. Polish shipyards build few large merchant ships, a market dominated by Asian yards. Many Polish plants work as subcontractors building hulls and sections, while most of the value is added by the yard that outfits the ship. A large share of new orders depends on the defence budget and on decisions by state-owned companies. Repairs, the core of the industry, fell by 4% in 2025 (from 403 to 387 ships). Employment in 2024 was also lower than a year earlier.
Financing. The EU’s SAFE instrument is a new source of funding for defence orders. It is financing, for example, the hydrographic ships ordered in May 2026.
MarketHub expert comment
“For a supplier of steel, equipment, automation or assembly services, the key question in these figures is who is placing orders today. In Polish shipyards, defence and offshore work is growing, while few new merchant ships are being built. That means longer procedures, security requirements and classification society certificates, but also contracts spread over several years. A new company rarely starts with a direct contract with a shipowner or the Navy. It usually comes in through a shipyard or one of its subcontractors, for example as a supplier of a hull block, systems or steel structures. So the first step is to check which shipyards have signed programmes for 2026–2031, who acts as integrator and what documents they require from subcontractors. Only then does it make sense to build an offer and plan production capacity.”
Author: Katarzyna Kucia · Updated by: Łukasz Brzyski, 17 October 2026
Sources:
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Source: MarketHub, “Shipbuilding market analysis in Poland”, markethub.pl, updated 10.2026