In the context of globalization, the importance of improvement of the economy competitiveness is increasing. In order to develop the Russian industries, federal authorities have taken steps to implement the program approach. At the same time, among a wide variety of industries, the shipbuilding industry is recognized as one of the priority. The article identifies the trends in development of shipbuilding industry in Russia and abroad - investment activity. There has been considered the state, problems and priority directions of development of shipbuilding in the context of the investment policy implemented within the framework of the existing program of the Russian Federation for the development of shipbuilding. The direct and indirect influence of investments on the branches of the economy is analyzed, examples of attracting investments in the context of free placement of investments or limiting their presence in a country are given. The results of the state policy in the field of shipbuilding have been considered.The special features of shipbuilding production, the instability of the external environment have determined the specifics of investment in the industry. The analysis of investment mechanisms into the shipbuilding industry has been made on the example of tools of the state support at the level of the entities of the Russian Federation. The characteristics of the form of state support for special economic zone on the example of the “Lotos” economic zone (the Astrakhan region) have been considered. The economic zone in the Astrakhan region, due its geopolitical location and economic potential, will base on enterprises of shipbuilding complex; in this connection, there have been formulated conditions for characterizing efficiency of the special economic zone development. There have been shown the results of the general economic effect obtained due to investments in the region.