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Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Shipbuilding / Vessel Construction

Shipbuilding is the construction of ships, which takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, are workers which specialize in vessel construction and repair. The construction of boats is called boat building. Due to the smaller size and scope of the vessels being produced, boats do not necessarily require the full services of a shipyard but may be built in a boatyard or even smaller private facility.

Block construction is a modern shipbuilding method which involves the assembly of prefabricated sections. Cross-sections of the superstructure are pre-built in a shipyard, taken to the building dock (or slipway,) and then hoisted into position and attached. Some of the more equipped shipyards are able to build equipment and utilities into the blocks, pre-installing pipes, plumbing, and electrical cables. The more components that can be built into the blocks before final assembly, the less effort required once the hull is welded together.

Since the 40s, modern ships have been made of welded steel. The first ships produced by this method had problems with inadequate fracture toughness, which let to rare but devastating structural cracks. The development of specialized steel in the 50s has largely eliminated the problem of brittle fracture, although there are still instances due to the unregulated use of grade A and B steel. This problem seems to result when steel with unknown toughness or FATT (fracture appearance transition temperature) is used in side shells. Despite these occasional incidents, most problems with brittle fractures seem to have been eliminated my modern methods and regulation.

Depending on design and materials, vessels reach a point in their lifespan where refitting and repair become impractical or impossible. The demolition of ships is called ship breaking- a process designed to allow materials and components to be reused and recycled. Equipment can often be reused in other ships, and metals (particularly steel) are separated for scrap recycling, with the hulls being discarded in ship graveyards.

Tags: shipbuilding Vessel Construction

Source: social media

U.S. Partially Terminates Contract with Eastern Shipbuilding

The United States Department of Homeland Security has announced the partial termination…

© Fincantieri

Vard, Inkfish Sign Shipbuilding Contract for New Research Vessel

Vard, the Norwegian subsidiary of the Group and one of the world's leading builders…

Hines Furlong tug Donny Mudgett.
Image source Laborde Products

U.S. Boatbuilding Gains Steam

Shipbuilding in the United States has seen a heightened profile with increased attention…

Copyright wisnuromad art/AdobeStock

Ship Design, Shipbuilding Efficiency Target of $82M Japanese Project

"Development of Integrated Simulation Platform for Sustainable and Competitive Maritime…

Source: CSL

Cochin Teams Up with KSOE

India’s Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)…

The United States' sole heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star was built in the 1970s. (Photo: Jeremy Burgess / U.S. Coast Guard)

US Coast Guard Icebreaker Shipbuilding Plan Gets a $8.6B Boost

President Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' earmarks more than $8.6 billion to increase the U.S.

 Image courtesy Fincantieri

Fincantieri Launches Innovation Hub in South Korea

Fincantieri expanded its global innovation network with the launch of a new Innovation…

Image courtesy HII

Guided Missile Destroyer Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) Christened

HII christened the future USS Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129), the third Flight III Arleigh…

© Juozas55 / Adobe Stock

GAO: MARAD Needs to Improve Financial Assistance Programs

Building commercial ships in U.S. shipyards supports the maritime industry, which…

© HII

HII, C3 AI Forge Partner to Support US Navy Shipbuilding

HII, America’s largest military shipbuilder, and C3 AI, the Enterprise AI application…

Conceptual diagram of LCO2 / methanol carrier operation. Image courtesy Mitsubishi Shipbuilding

World First: LCO₂ / Methanol Vessel gets Green Light

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group…

(Credit: MOL)

ClassNK Grants Approval for LCO2-Methanol Carrier from Mitsubishi and MOL

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