Expert systems constitute a branch of artificial intelligence, and their unique characteristics enable computer systems to perform at the level of a human expert by the use of algorithms that can capture domain‐specific knowledge. Through an extensive survey of research about ship‐design expert systems, we conclude that although development and implementation of expert systems for ship design offer substantial barriers, the shipbuilding industry needs them nonetheless. We examine the major reasons that use of expert systems in this industry has lagged behind. These include the problems of integration with existing computer‐aided design systems, problems of knowledge representation and sizable development costs. We discuss in detail some key factors that can lead to the solution of these problems.