Marine Trades

A working waterfront with a deep skilled-trades bench.

Boat building, repair and refit, and marine components. Onslow County's Intracoastal Waterway frontage, Sneads Ferry commercial fishing fleet, and established marine service economy give builders and suppliers an operating base with real depth.

ICW

Intracoastal Waterway frontage plus deep-water and inlet access

$46,885

Countywide average annual pay — marine manufacturing pays above it (BLS QCEW, 2024)

4:1

Candidates for every job opening in our region

Why this cluster works here

Existing marine ecosystem

Working harbors at Sneads Ferry and Swansboro support commercial fishing, charter, and marine service businesses already trading here.

Skilled trades supply

Welders, fabricators, riggers, and diesel technicians trained locally and released annually from the military maintenance pipeline.

Machinery tax exemption

NC exempts manufacturing machinery and equipment from sales tax — meaningful for capital-intensive boat building lines.

Talent and training

Welding, marine, and diesel technology programs at Coastal Carolina Community College
Customized training built to your production standards at no cost to the employer
NCWorks recruitment support for skilled-trades hiring

Sites that fit this cluster

Jacksonville Business Park (Phases II & III)

View available sites

Regional Strength

Onslow County sits inside one of the strongest marine trades regions in the Southeast.

#1 in the U.S. for metalworking skills credentials
14,600+ people employed in metalworking across the region
500+ welding and machining graduates each year
Deepwater ports of Wilmington and Morehead City

Source: North Carolina's Southeast (20-county region including Onslow County).

Considering Onslow County for a marine trades project?

We will pull the site, utility, wage, and incentive detail your team needs — confidentially, and at no cost.

Let's talk