List of ship launches in 1953

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

The list of ship launches in 1953 includes a chronological list of ships launched in 1953. In cases where no official launching ceremony was held, the date built or completed may be used instead.

Date	Country	Builder	Location	Ship	Class	Notes
17 January	United Kingdom	Berthon Boat Co. Ltd	Lymington	Brigham	Ham-class minesweeper	For Royal Navy.[1]
23 January	United States	Ingalls Shipbuilding	Pascagoula, Mississippi	Wahkiakum County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
29 January	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Harpa	Tanker	For Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company.[2]
29 January	West Germany	Gustav Wolkau	Hamburg	Waltershof	Type I ferry	For HADAG.
19 February	Canada	Burrard Dry Dock	Vancouver	Fraser	St. Laurent-class destroyer	For Royal Canadian Navy.
February	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 701	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
February	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	L.T.C. No.44	Tank barge	For Lake Tankers Corporation.[3]
February	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	L.T.C. No.45	Tank barge	For Lake Tankers Corporation.[3]
4 March	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Govan	Maid of Argyll	Ferry	For British Railways.
5 March	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Govan	Maid of the Loch	Paddle steamer	For British Railways.
2 April	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Govan	Maid of Skelmorlie	Ferry	For British Railways.
11 April	United States	Bath Iron Works	Bath, Maine	Tioga County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
15 April	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Irex	Tanker	For A/S Field.[4]
16 April	United Kingdom	Alexander Stephen and Sons	Glasgow	Olympia	Ocean liner	For Greek Line.
18 April	United States	Christy Shipbuilding	Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin	Westchester County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
29 April	Canada	Canadian Vickers	Montreal	Ottawa	St. Laurent-class destroyer	For Royal Canadian Navy.
April	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	Beardslee No. 24	Barge	For Beardslee Launch & Barge.[3]
April	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	L.C.D. & T. Co. No. 105	Barge	For Lake Charles Dredging.[3]
April	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	L.C.D. & T. Co. No. 106	Barge	For Lake Charles Dredging.[3]
10 May	Italy	Ansaldo Shipyards	Genoa	Cristoforo Colombo	Ocean liner	For Italian Line.
12 May	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Britta	Tanker	For Arthur H. Mathieson.[5]
14 May	United Kingdom	John Brown & Company	Clydebank	Arcadia	Ocean liner	For P&O.
15 May	United States	Ingalls Shipbuilding	Pascagoula, Mississippi	Walworth County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
17 May	United States	Ingalls Shipbuilding	Pascagoula, Mississippi	Waldo County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
11 June	United Kingdom	Blyth Dry Docks & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd	Blyth, Northumberland	William G. Walkley	Tanker	For Ampol Petroleum Ltd.[6]
15 June	United Kingdom	Brooke Marine Ltd.	Lowestoft	Damerham	Ham-class minesweeper	For Royal Navy.[7]
25 June	United Kingdom	Devonport Dockyard	Devonport	Salisbury	Salisbury-class frigate	For Royal Navy.[8]
29 June	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Fleetbank	Cargo ship	For Bank Line.[9]
June	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	Belcher Towing Co. No. 16	Barge	For Belcher Towing Co.[3]
June	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 712	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
1 July	West Germany	Schiffs- und Maschinenbau AG Mannheim	Mannheim	L 534	Type Mannheim 55 ferry	For Flusspioniere Wiesbaden.
2 July	United States	Bath Iron Works	Bath, Maine	Tom Green County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
14 July	United States	Ingalls Shipbuilding	Pascagoula, Mississippi	Washoe County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
15 July	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Setter 9	Whaler	For Hector Whaling Ltd.[10]
18 July	West Germany			Kehrwieder	Ferry	For HADAG.
21 July	West Germany	Norderwerft	Hamburg	Wettern	Ferry	For HADAG.
27 July	United Kingdom	J. Bolson & Son Ltd.	Poole	Bedham	Ham-class minesweeper	For Royal Navy.[11]
30 July	Canada	Halifax Shipyards	Halifax	Saguenay	St. Laurent-class destroyer	For Royal Canadian Navy.
1 August	United States	Portsmouth Naval Shipyard	Kittery, Maine	Albacore	Unique research submarine	For United States Navy.
10 August	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Rathlin Head	Cargo ship	For Ulster Steamship Co.[12]
22 August	United States	Christy Shipbuilding	Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin	Whitfield County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
25 August	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Jarena	Tanker	For A/S Kosmos.[13]
August	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	Pinto	Car float	For Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad.[3]
22 September	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Port Montreal	Cargo ship	For Port Line.[14]
24 September	United Kingdom	Brooke Marine Ltd.	Lowestoft	Fritham	Ham-class minesweeper	For Royal Navy.[15]
25 September	United Kingdom	J. Samuel White	Cowes	Dundas	Blackwood-class frigate	For Royal Navy.[16]
3 October	United States	Bath Iron Works	Bath, Maine	Traverse County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
22 October	United Kingdom	Blyth Dry Docks & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd	Blyth, Northumberland	Eddyness	Eddy-class tanker	For Royal Fleet Auxiliary.[17]
22 October	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Tantallon Castle	Cargo ship	For Union-Castle Line.[18]
23 October	United Kingdom	Fairlie Yacht		Dittesham	Ham-class minesweeper	For Royal Navy.[19]
23 October	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Jaranda	Tanker	For Anders Jahre A/S.[20]
8 November	United States	Bath Iron Works	Bath, Maine	Dealey	Dealey-class destroyer escort	For United States Navy.
11 November	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Elpenor	Cargo ship	For Blue Funnel Line.[21]
19 November	United States	Hiltebrant Drydock Company	Kingston, New York	AMS-127	Adjutant-class minesweeper	For Royal Danish Navy.[22][23]
24 November	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	British Engineer	Tanker	For British Tanker Company.[24]
24 November	United Kingdom	M. W. Blackmore & Sons Ltd.	Bideford	Broadley	Ley|minehunter	For Royal Navy.[25]
25 November	United Kingdom	Yarrow Shipbuilders	Glasgow	Hardy	Blackwood-class frigate	For Royal Navy.[16]
27 November	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Kemerton	Ton-class minesweeper	For Royal Navy.
28 November	United States	Christy Shipbuilding	Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin	Wexford County	Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship	For United States Navy.
November	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	Blue Crest	Hopper barge	For Bay of New York Coal Corp.[3]
November	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	Blue Mountain	Hopper barge	For James McWilliams Blue Line.[3]
9 December	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	British Corporal	Tanker	For British Tanker Company.[26]
22 December	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	British Gunner	Tanker	For British Tanker Company.[27]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-301	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-302	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-303	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-304	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-305	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-306	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-307	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-308	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-309	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	CBC-310	Barge	For Canal Barge Co. Inc.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	Dorothy Jean No. 81	Barge]	For James Marine Equipment.[3]
Unknown date	United Kingdom	Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd.	Birkenhead	Elizabeth Holt	Cargo ship	For John Holt & Co (Liverpool) Ltd.[28]
Unknown date	United Kingdom	J. Bolson & Son Ltd.	Poole	Ernesta	Ferry	For private owner.[29]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	F.S.C. 141	Barge	For Frederick Snare Corporation.[3]
Unknown date	United Kingdom	Cammell Laird & Co. Ltd.	Birkenhead	Florence Holt	Cargo ship	For John Holt & Co (Liverpool) Ltd.[28]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	G.T.C.-5	Tank barge	For Greenville Towing Co.[3]
Unknown date	United Kingdom	Harland & Wolff	Belfast	Harlandic II	Launch	For Harland & Wolff.[30]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 702	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 703	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 704	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 705	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 706	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 707	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 708	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 709	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 710	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 711	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 713	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 714	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 715	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 716	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	J.H.C. 717	Barge	For J. H. Coppedge Co.[3]
Unknown date	Italy	Cantieri Navali Riuniti	Trieste	Lazio	Cargo ship	For Tirrenia di Navigazione SpA .
Unknown date	United Kingdom	J. Bolson & Son Ltd.	Poole	Pachat	Launch	For Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd.[31]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	Sambo D. No. 82	Barge	For Glenn E. Daulton Co.[3]
Unknown date	United States	Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company	Mobile, Alabama	12 unnamed vessels	Barges	For J. E. Jumonville.[3]

References

1. "Brigham". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
2. "Harpa". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
3. "ALABAMA SHIPYARD". Shipbuildinghistory. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
4. "Irex". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
5. "Britta". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
6. "William G. Walkley". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
7. "Damerham". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
8. Friedman 2008, p. 338.
9. "Fleetbank". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
10. "Setter IX". The Yard. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
11. "Bedham". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
12. "Rathlin Head". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
13. "Jarena". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
14. "Port Montreal". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
15. "Fritham". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
16. Friedman 2008, p. 339.
17. "Eddyness". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
18. "Tantallon Castle". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
19. Colledge & Warlow 2006, p. 115.
20. "Jaranda". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
21. "Elpenor". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
22. "MSC-127 ex-AMS-127". Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive. NavSource Online. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
23. Balsved, Johnny E. "AARØSUND (1955-1982)". Danish Naval History. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
24. "British Engineer". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
25. "Broadley". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
26. "British Corporal". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
27. "British Gunner". The Yard. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
28. Mitchell & Sawyer 1990, p. 43.
29. "Ernesta". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
30. "Harlandic II". The Yard. Retrieved 11 March 2017.^[permanent dead link‍]
31. "Pachat". Shipping & Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 1 October 2024.

Sources

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
• Mitchell, WH; Sawyer, LA (1990). The Empire Ships (Second ed.). London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.

See also