Boat and Ship Building

A Tradition Continues

With beginnings dating to the Mid-Seventeenth Century the tradition of commercial ship and boat building is firmly rooted in the LESMD Region. By the middle of the Nineteenth Century the region had firmly established itself in the industry, with a wide array of wooden sailing craft, from schooners and skipjacks, to barges and ferries being launched from LESMD shipyards. At the same time the emergence of steel and steam was embraced by local shipbuilders. The tradition continues today, with a number of builders/naval architects producing vessels ranging from small law enforcement, fishing and pleasure craft of less than fifty feet to commercial ships exceeding four hundred feet.

This subsector draws its workforce from a number of the skilled trades, including fabricators, welders, carpenters and electricians. The LESMD Region boasts a strong education continuum that includes workforce development and training to meet the challenges and requirements of the boat and ship building subsector. Three career & technical high schools are buttressed by a well-supported and growing community college. A developing network of apprenticeship and other programs, in close coordination with the private sector, has further defined an increasingly comprehensive approach to regional workforce development.

Sources:
Maryland Department of Commerce
Salisbury-Wicomico Economic Development
Somerset County Economic Development Commission
JobsEQ®

Some of the LESMD Boat and Ship Building Companies