Only going to happen with panel fabricating robots and standard block designs or perhaps 3D printing.

Ship building is so "one off" that high labor cost countries need to innovate tremendously to remain competitive.

Add the effect of highly varying designs and the costs skyrocket.

 

Think though that if they succeed in 3D printing an entire aircraft wing, they could in theory 3D print a ship.  Just need a vertical table 20 meters wide and 25 tall.  Perhaps build it inside one of the old shuttle buildings in florida.

Ships built even in China do not create a profit.  For the last 100 years, shipbuilding has been done AT COST with little or NO profit.  The reason countries build said infrastructure is because the heavy steel/forging industry needs a way to support itself for all OTHER industries that rely on this backbone for a modern society.  Since ships require a HUGE amount of steel and heavy industry, they are the main draw to establish these industries.  The governments foot the bill to establish these basic industries and the ships get built essentially at cost and sold on the open market. 

 

I wouldn't be shocked if the next major shipbuilder will be Brazil or India if ships are still to be built out of steel. 

 

Japan used to be shipbuilder of the world, but now labor is too expensive along with environmental laws.  Same thing is happening in S. Korea, where labor and environmental laws are choking off their ship building ability.  China is the upcomer now in this no profit buisiness.  

 

What it does mean is that if there ever was a war, the Chinese, Koreans are the only countries on earth that could actually build a gigantic fleet with Japan after them.  And if China gets the ball rolling first, the will take out Korea first effectively making them the Queen of the ocean.