Use our industry guide to find key background information, market research, import and export guidelines, statistics, legislation, trade bodies and trade publications.
The Business & Industry Guides series is produced by the Library & Information Service for ICAEW members and ACA students.
We can compile tailored key players reports, mailing lists, market reports, benchmarking reports and industry news. Our enquiry team can also research other industry-specific information, such as taxation, for you. Call us on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or email library@icaew.com.
Trends and forecasts
Access to articles from leading business, finance and management journals is available to ICAEW members and students.
Coronavirus
Reports, studies and articles looking at the impact of COVID-19 on the boat and yacht sector.
Impact of COVID-19 on the European recreational boating industry
European Boating Industry, April 2021
Summary of a study by European Boating Industry, Bundesverband Wassersportwirtschaft e.V., and boot Düsseldorf. Provides insight into how the recreational boating industry in Europe fared in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. An outlook for 2021 is also included.
Market research
Some free information is available from the following market research specialists, ranging from industry news to executive summaries of the reports.
Euromonitor
A full listing of reference products and research reports for the travel and tourism industry from Euromonitor, with a range of global, country and company level reports. Each report provides a
contents listing and a useful executive summary reporting on the key trends in each country report.
IBISWorld
Business and industry research specialists offering reports on a wide range of sectors, including recreational boat and yacht building; boat repair and maintenance; and sea and coastal passenger water
transport. Report snapshots, table of contents and a sample report are available. The company also produces global industry research reports.
Mintel
A report from Mintel covering the UK cruises market. The website includes a summary and the option to view a contents listing.
Industry news
Statistics on the UK
British Marine Federation
The British Marine Federation compiles statistics and marketresearch including annual key performance indicators and biannual marine industry trends.
Office for National Statistics
The Annual Business Survey (ABS) from the Office for National Statistics collects financial information covering UK production, construction, distribution and service industries. Statistics available include:
- number of enterprises;
- total turnover;
- approximate gross value added at basic prices;
- total purchases of goods, materials and services;
- total employment costs;
- total net capital expenditure;
- total net capital expenditure – acquisitions;
- total net capital expenditure – disposals;
- total stocks and work in progress – value at end of year;
- total stocks and work in progress – value at beginning of year;
- total stocks and work in progress – increase during year.
The dataset Non-financial business economy, UK: Sections A to S includes statistics for:
- Building of pleasure and sporting boats (30.12)
See Section C: Manufacturing - Repair and maintenance of ships and boats (33.15)
See Section C: Manufacturing - Sea and coastal passenger water transport (50.1)
See Section H: Transport and storage - Inland passenger water transport (50.3)
See Section H: Transport and storage - Service activities incidental to water transportation (52.22)
See Section H: Transport and storage - Renting and leasing of water transport equipment (77.34)
See Section N: Administrative and support service activities
Statistics on Europe
Eurostat
Eurostat, the EU statistics hub, collates detailed Structural Business Statistics giving the latest figures for industry, construction, trade and services by sector and country. The indicators available include:
- number of enterprises
- turnover or gross premiums written
- production value
- value added at factor cost
- gross operating surplus
- wages and salaries
- social security costs
- gross investment in tangible goods
- gross investment in land
- gross investment in existing buildings and structures
- gross investment in construction and alteration of buildings
- gross investment in machinery and equipment
- number of employees
- number of persons employed per enterprise.
Statistics within the database are available for:
- Building of pleasure and sporting boats (C3012)
See database section ‘SBS – industry and construction’ - Repair and maintenance of ships and boats (C3315)
See database section ‘SBS – industry and construction’ - Sea and coastal passenger water transport (H501)
See database section ‘SBS – services’ - Inland passenger water transport (H503)
See database section ‘SBS – services’ - Service activities incidental to water transportation (H5222)
See database section ‘SBS – services’ - Renting and leasing of water transport equipment (N7734)
See database section ‘SBS – services’
Global statistics
INDSTAT
The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) collects and compiles industrial statistics known as INDSTAT, which give information on:
- number of employees
- number of establishments
- output
- value added
- total wages and salaries.
Statistics by country are available for:
- Building/repairing of pleasure/sporting boats (3512)
UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade)
The UN compiles and publishes international import and export statistics in the Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade), giving figures for goods traded by value, quantity and weight for each country.
Statistics are available for:
- Ships, boats and other floating structures (89)
UN Industrial Commodity Statistics Database
The UN provides statistics on the quantity of goods produced by country in the Industrial Commodity Statistics Database.
Figures are available for:
- Ships, vessels, ferry-boats for the transport of persons (49)
Employment
UK
The annual Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES), published by the Office for National Statistics, includes total employee and employment estimates for different industries for Great Britain and the UK. Figures are broken down to show full-time/part-time and public/private splits. The dataset Industry – Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES): Table 2 includes statistics for:
- Building of pleasure and sporting boats (30120)
- Repair and maintenance of ships and boats (33150)
- Sea and coastal passenger water transport (50100)
- Inland passenger water transport (50300)
- Service activities incidental to water transportation (52220)
- Renting and leasing of water transport equipment (77341)
The Office for National Statistics publication Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) includes average employment costs within this sector which can be found in Table 14. Average employment costs are provided for full-time employees, part-time employees and all employees.
The data includes average employment costs for:
- ship and hovercraft officers
- seafarers (merchant navy); barge, lighter and boat operatives.
Other regions
Please see individual country profile pages for links to sources of national statistics.
Legislation and regulation
UK
Gov.uk provides guidance on maritime and freshwater businesses, including:
- high-speed craft: construction and maintenance standards
- inland waterway vessels: construction and maintenance standards
- passenger ships: construction and maintenance standards
- shipping industry regulation
- vessel classification and certification
Air, sea, road and rail transport between the UK and EU
Guidance published by GOV.UK for those working in the transport sector or travelling to the EU from 1 January 2021. Areas covered include maritime and shipping.
Import and export
Trade Tariff
The Trade Tariff is a useful Gov.uk database listing tax, duties and licenses for the import and export of goods between the UK and other countries. The database is searchable by product or commodity code and results can be filtered by date and country. Information also includes links to relevant conditions and regulations.
See import and export information for:
UK key players, ratios and trends
UK benchmarking
Trade journals and publications
Trade journals, B2B magazines and specialist consumer magazines are another useful source of news and statistics.
Trade bodies
The websites of trade bodies in this sector are a useful source of industry overviews, contacts and statistics.
UK
- Association of Boat Safety Examiners (ABSE)
- Association of Yacht Brokers and Yacht Agents (ABYA)
- British Marine Electronics Association (BMEA)
- British Marine Federation (BMF)
- Cruising Association (CA)
- Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST)
- Professional Charter Association (PCA)
- Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- Superyacht UK
- UK Harbour Masters' Association (UKHMA)
- Yacht Brokers, Designers and Surveyors Association (YBDSA)
- Yacht Harbour Association
Europe
Americas
- American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC)
- Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) (US)
- Marine Hotel Association (US)
- Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA)
Asia
Oceania
Global
- International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA)
- International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO)
- International Sailing Federation (ISAF)
- Professional Yachting Association (PYA)
ICOMIA provides a listing, by country, of member organisations.
ISAF lists Member National Authorities by region.
Sailing Networks provides a Marine Directory, arranged alphabetically and by region, listing associations and national authorities.
Further reading
Articles and books in the Library collection
To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to book loans.
You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports by post or email through our document supply service.
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