Laying Ceremony News

N-Sea Group has entered into a long-term charter agreement with Rederij Groen for the newbuild offshore support vessel Dominus, which is being constructed by PASSER at Shipyard De Hoop in Tolkamer, the Netherlands.Construction of the vessel is underway following a keel-laying ceremony held in the final week of February. Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for April 2027.The vessel will measure about 69.85 meters in length with a beam of 15.77 meters and a draught of 4.5 meters.

On January 22, 2026, Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) and partners, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Royal IHC, held a keel laying ceremony for the ongoing construction of the Dredge DONNELLY at Eastern’s Allanton Facility.The DONNELLY is a Medium Class Hopper Dredge that has been under construction since April 2025. The vessel will replace the Dredge McFARLAND and will play a critical role in enabling USACE to continue to deliver its navigation mission.The keel laying…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Oceania Cruises, a brand of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), have held the keel laying ceremony for the Oceania Sonata cruise ship at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard.With a gross tonnage of about 86,000 tonnes, Oceania Sonata will accommodate up to 1,390 guests. The ship is designed to feature large public spaces and high levels of comfort, continuing Oceania Cruises’ focus on luxury travel and onboard experiences.The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2027.Oceania Sonata is the first vessel in the new Sonata class…

Damen Shipyards Group has announced a contract with the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF) for the delivery of two ASD Tugs 3212. The contract was announced at the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) 2026 in Qatar.The order follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Damen and the QENF at the previous DIMDEX event in 2024, for the delivery of auxiliary vessels. Damen is constructing the two tugs at the Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam.One of the vessels is already under construction and will be delivered later this year.

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division hosted the keel laying ceremony today for Virginia-class attack submarine Barb (SSN 804).SSN 804 will be the third U.S. Navy submarine to carry the name Barb. The first, SS 220, was commissioned in 1942. During World War II, the submarine conducted missions under the command of Eugene “Lucky” Fluckey, earning the submarine four Presidential Citations, a Navy Unit Commendation and eight battle stars for outstanding service. The second, SSN 596, was a nuclear-powered submarine commissioned in 1963.

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations will celebrate the keel-laying for Navigator, the second of two new charting and mapping vessels being constructed for NOAA. The vessel is being built by Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, LLC., in Houma, Louisiana.The keel-laying is a centuries-old maritime tradition that formally recognizes the start of a ship's construction. During the ceremony, the initials of the ship’s sponsor will be welded onto a steel plate that will be incorporated into…

Freire Shipyard held in Vigo the keel-laying ceremony for the new Diver Support Vessel (NC 739) for the Spanish Navy. Delivery is scheduled for November 2026.The Diver Support Vessel (EAB) will be a specialized platform designed to assist the Navy’s Diving School (EMB) in the training of all diving disciplines. To this end, the new unit will be equipped with systems such as DP-2 dynamic positioning, a hyperbaric chamber and a wet bell, enabling it to carry out deep diving operations…

A keel-laying ceremony has been held for Surveyor, a new charting and mapping vessel being constructed for NOAA by Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, LLC., in Houma, Louisiana.In 2023, NOAA announced two new charting and mapping vessels would be added to its fleet. Surveyor is expected to be completed in 2027 and Navigator in 2028. The ships will be used primarily for ocean mapping and nautical charting as part of NOAA’s mission to deliver tools and information to help mariners safely…

The laying ceremony of the first of the two new-generation FREMM “EVOLUTION” (“FREMM EVO”) Frigates for the Italian Navy took place today at the Fincantieri shipyard in Riva Trigoso. The delivery of the unit is scheduled for 2029.The ceremony was attended by Fulvio Palermo, Head of Project Management for the Naval Vessels Department, and Antonio Quintano, Director of the Integrated Plant in Riva Trigoso-Muggiano, in the presence of representatives of the Italian Navy, Orizzonti Sistemi Navali…

Polish shipbuilder CRIST S.A.

Fincantieri has held a keel laying ceremony for Seven Seas Prestige, the ultra-luxury cruise ship being built for Regent Seven Seas Cruises.The keel laying ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, in Venice.Seven Seas Prestige is the first of two next-generation ultra-luxury cruise ships for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2026.During the event, three specially chosen coins were welded…

Marine and energy services firm Goltens has hosted a keel-laying ceremony on for the innovative Polar expedition vessel Captain Arctic, which has been purpose-designed for sustainable maritime travel.The ceremony, held in November, welcomed CEO Sophie Galvagnon and Technical Director Pierrick Delaunay of the ship's French owner, Selar, while Goltens' shipbuilder client, Chantier Naval de l'Ocean Indien (CNOI), was represented by Managing Director Frank Piriou, Deputy General Director Nicolas Perrier and Project Leader Jean Charles Davy.Representatives of the vessel's classification society…

Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania laid the keel for the first two of four fully electric ferries for BC Ferries.The keel laying ceremony marked an important milestone in the third phase of construction of the Island Class Ferries, which will bring the total number of Damen vessels in the BC Ferries fleet to ten.During the recent second phase of the program, Damen delivered four hybrid diesel-electric ferries.These reduced emissions vessels were intended to pave the way to the development of fully electric vessels.Now…

Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) officially took custody of its new training ship Patriot State during a handover ceremony on October 11.The vessel is the second of five being built by Philly Shipyard under the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program, designed to provide a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training ships for the nation's state maritime academies.During the handover ceremony, Rear Admiral Ann Phillips…

A keel laying ceremony signaled the start of construction on a new pilot transfer vessel currently being constructed by Next Generation Shipyards for the UK's Port of Milford Haven.Slated for delivery in 2025, the 22-meter vessel is designed to meet the unique demands of pilot transfer operations, providing advanced safety features, enhanced sea-keeping capabilities, and state-of-the-art technology to optimize performance in challenging conditions.Mike Ryan, Harbormaster at the Port of Milford Haven…

Patriot State, the second vessel in a series of new training ships for the U.S.' state maritime academies, was christened during a ceremony at Philly Shipyard on Monday ahead of scheduled delivery to Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the coming weeks. The vessel is the second of five being built by Philly Shipyard under the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program, designed to provide a purpose-built…

Austal USA has officially launched the construction of the U.S. Navy’s final Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF), the future USNS Lansing (EPF 16), with a keel laying ceremony at its Mobile, Ala. shipyard. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who is serving as the ship’s sponsor, and Emija Coleman, a seasoned welder with nine years of experience at Austal USA, played key roles in the ceremony. Governor Whitmer, along with Coleman, authenticated the keel by welding her initials into a keel plate that will be permanently affixed to the hull of the USNS Lansing.At Austal USA…

The Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY) has launched the first phase of the Bapco Refining Self-Propelled Fuel Oil Bunker Barges project with a keel-laying ceremony.The project, which is scheduled for execution in the final quarter of 2024, comes as part of a strategic alliance between ASRY and Bapco Refining and is a step towards positioning the Kingdom of Bahrain as a key maritime hub in the region.The project consists of the delivery of two self-propelled fuel…

The second vessel in a series of new training ships for the U.S.' state maritime academies has completed sea trials, build manager TOTE Services said.The National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) Patriot State, built by Philly Shipyard and scheduled for delivery to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy later this year, completed the trials with participation from the shipyard, vendors, construction management teams, captain, crews and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.“We’ve reached a historic milestone with the sea trials of the second NSMV…

A keel laying ceremony was held on Friday for the first of two all-new NewMax hybrid RoPax vessels being built for Stena Line at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in WeiHai, China. At the same time, the ferry’s name was disclosed: Stena Futura.These newbuilds will enhance capacity on the Belfast-Heysham route on the Irish Sea. Besides being able to run on methanol, a priority during construction of the vessels will be to provide built-in technologies that can take advantage of both battery propulsion and shore power…

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA on Wednesday held a keel laying ceremony for LCU 1710, marking the official start of construction on the first of three Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessels for the U.S. Navy.Austal USA was awarded a $91.5 million contract in September 2023 that includes three LCU and associated support efforts.LCU are carried aboard amphibious assault ships to the objective area and used across a range of military operations to deliver vehicles, personnel and cargo from sea-to-shore and back.

The German government wants to buy two further frigates provided parliament approves the deal, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Monday, as part of a policy shift to bolster its defences after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Speaking in the Baltic port of Wolgast at a keel-laying ceremony for the first of four F126 frigates already ordered, he said he had reached a deal with the finance ministry to present parliament with a draft budget for two additional ships.The…

Philly Shipyard has laid the keel for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation's subsea rock installation vessel, Acadia—the first Jones Act compliant rock placement vessel for the U.S. offshore wind industry.A May 2 keel-laying ceremony saw the vessel's first grand block loaded into the building dock, marking a significant milestone in the shipbuilding process.Great Lakes' CEO, Lasse Petterson, said, “Keel laying, commonly referred to as the birthday of a ship, is a big milestone in the ship construction process…