Workshop on the OECD Peer Review and Regional Dialogue on Shipbuilding Industries in Southeast Asian Economies

Opening remarks highlighted shipbuilding’s strategic importance for industrial policy, supply chain resilience, and energy efficiency. Representatives from Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, alongside officials from Japan and the OECD Secretariat discussed shared challenges, including on skills, reliance on imported inputs, and integrating new technologies. They also highlighted opportunities to enhance human resource development, productivity, upgrade technological capabilities, strengthen regional value chains.

Japan reaffirmed its strong commitment to co-operation with Southeast Asian partners and the OECD, emphasising the sector’s critical role in global maritime supply chains and regional economic security. Participants also pointed to the value of closer OECD–Southeast Asia engagement based on trust, transparency, and evidence‑based policy dialogue.

The dialogue also examined common structural challenges across the region, including limited domestic capacity for high‑value components, reliance on imported inputs, skills gaps, and constraints related to logistics and connectivity. At the same time, participants identified significant opportunities to:

• modernise maritime and river logistics;
• strengthen inland and regional connectivity;
• accelerate technological uptake in the sector;
• improve integration into global value chains; and
• advance emissions‑reduction efforts through innovation and supportive policies.

The launch event established a strong foundation for continued engagement under the OECD Southeast Asia Shipbuilding Project. Participants expressed a shared commitment to using the Peer Review and the Regional Dialogue to support long‑term competitiveness, resilience, innovation, workforce development, and sustainable growth in the shipbuilding sector.