Shipbuilding History

Shipyard construction records and other maritime stuff.

This web site is concerned with documenting the construction records of U.S. and Canadian shipbuilders and boatbuilders.  It also includes data on the construction of ships in U.S. and Canadian yards by type.  Most of the data come from authoritative sources, but nobody's perfect and there are bound to be errors as well as omissions: please send corrections and additions to TimColton@aol.com. 

SHIPYARD CONSTRUCTION RECORDS

Click here for the Index to the 729 U.S. Shipyards with Construction Records

12 Major U.S. Shipbuilders: 6 Active Today ("The Big Six"), 6 Inactive

75 Large U.S. Shipbuilders: 20 Active Today ("The 2nd Tier"), 55 Inactive

297 Small U.S. Shipbuilders and Boatbuilders: 77 Active, 220 Inactive

15 U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Yards and Bases: 5 Active Today (as Repair Yards), 10 Inactive

69 Wartime U.S. Shipbuilders: 39 from WWI, 30 from WWII, All Inactive Today

167 Wartime U.S. Boatbuilders: 67 from WWI, 100 from WWII, All Inactive Today

22 U.S. Builders of Large Yachts: 15 Active Today, 7 Occasional or Inactive

33 U.S. Builders of Small Yachts Who Were Active in Wartime: 16 in WWI, 32 in WWII

30 Significant U.S. Shipbuilders from Before WWI: All Inactive Today

Plus: ~1500 Other U.S. Yards that Have Occasionally Built Ships or Boats - 17 tables

Click here for the Index to the 123 Canadian Shipyards with Construction Records

19 Large Canadian Shipbuilders: 2 Active Today, 17 Inactive

51 Small Canadian Shipbuilders and Boatbuilders: 13 Active Today, 38 Inactive

20 Wartime Canadian Shipbuilders: 19 from WWI, 1 from WWII

38 Wartime Canadian Boatbuilders: All from WWII

Plus: ~200 Other Canadian Yards That Have Occasionally Built Ships or Boats - 7 tables

CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS BY TYPE

U.S. Navy Ships and Submarines - 26 tables

U.S. Navy Small Ships, Boats and Craft - 64 tables

U.S. Coast Guard Cutters and Craft - 12 tables

U.S. Army Small Ships, Boats and Craft - 16 tables

N.O.A.A. and Other Government Research Vessels - 3 tables

Ships Built for the U.S. Shipping Board in WWI - 12 tables

Ships Built for the U.S. Maritime Commission in WWII - 25 tables

Ships and Rigs Built in the U.S. Since WWII - 15 tables

Canadian Naval Ships and Boats - 12 tables

Canadian Coast Guard and RCMP Ships and Boats - 4 tables

Merchant Ships Built in Canada in Wartime - 2 tables

Ships and Rigs Built in Canada Since WWII - 9 tables

CURRENT SHIPBUILDING ACTIVITY

  Current U.S. and Canadian Shipbuilding and Boatbuilding Contracts - updated May 5

  Directory of U.S. and Canadian Shipyards - updated March 7

Directory of U.S. and Canadian Maritime Memorials and Museums - updated October 14

Shipbuilding Contract Awards Announced in 2012 - updated May 5

Deliveries of Ships, Boats and Oceangoing Barges in 2012 - updated April 26

Deliveries of Inland Barges in 2012 - updated February 28

Status of Major Merchant Shipbuilding Programs - updated March 12

Status of Major Government Shipbuilding Programs - updated April 26

Major U.S. Navy Shipbuilding Contracts - updated March 17

PLUS: A HOST OF OTHER STATISTICS

Shipbuilding Industry Data - 63 tables

Shipping Industry Data - 16 tables

The US-Flag Commercial Fleet, by Type - 18 tables

The World Fleet of LNG and Large LPG Carriers - 7 tables

The World Fleet of Offshore Drilling Rigs - 6 tables

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Click HERE to read my memoir "Staying Afloat"

Click HERE to switch to my other site, "Maritime Memos"

Click HERE to read my "Shipbuilding History" column in

Click HERE for a list of the principal Sources of the data in these tables

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