Sunderland and the River Wear were one of the most productive shipbuilding regions in the United Kingdom for over two centuries. Sadly the last shipyard closed in 1988, symptomatic of the decline in British shipbuilding in the face of international competition and the need for ever larger ships.
This free-to-use resource aims to present the vital information and the careers of all vessels built by the shipyards of Sunderland and upstream sites on the River Wear, with photographs of ships and shipyards whenever available to us. It is still very much a "work in progress", so far recording over 7000 vessels and their histories.
It is based on detailed research over decades by a number of enthusiasts, and is being developed with the support of a team of volunteer data editors and contributors of photographs. The organisers have had two particular objectives in mind - not only to make available the most comprehensive information in an accessible format, but to ensure that it is secured for the long term. To that end, the database and website have been developed under the ownership of the Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust.
You are welcome to try out the database. Hopefully you will find your ship, though we cannot guarantee that the editors have yet completed the full details. Please give us some feedback on what you find and how easy it is to find it. And if you have the time and interest to join the team of editors, you will be very welcome.
