Lays Keel News

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…

On Monday, September 8, 2025, Meyer Turku Shipyard celebrated the keel laying of the fourth cruise ship in the Icon Class. The ship, built for Royal Caribbean and known by its working name Icon 4, has thus progressed to the hull assembly phase. The traditional ceremony held at the bottom of the building dock included a symbolic ceremony in which representatives of the customer, the classification society and the shipyard placed coins under the first steel block to bring good luck and protection to the ship.

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…

The keel of the first of five Fleet Support Ships (FSS), being built at Hindustan Shipyard, was recently laid at a ceremony held at the shipyard.The HSL VC11200 project project, when delivered, will considerably enhance the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities also marks a major milestone in the shipyard’s ability to undertake complex projects.The Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) is providing classification services for all five vessels. These ships are being constructed in compliance with IRS Naval Combatant Rules…

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…

Bollinger Shipyards officially laid the keel for the R/S SpaceShip on October 24, 2024. The event, held at Bollinger Marine Fabricators, was attended by key executives, including Tory Bruno, President and CEO of United Launch Alliance (ULA), and Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards.The R/S SpaceShip is set to be the second vessel in ULA’s maritime fleet, designed specifically to transport Vulcan rockets from their manufacturing facility in Decatur, Alabama, to…

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 keel for the future USS William Charette (DDG 130), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was ceremoniously laid on August 29 at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) in Bath, Maine. The warship is scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Navy in 2026.Named after Medal of Honor recipient Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William R. Charette, the ship honors his valorous service during the Korean War with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Panmunjom Corridor.Rear Adm. Darin K.

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…

Bollinger Shipyards announced it has laid the keel for the future USNS Muscogee Creek Nation at its yard in Houma, La.The vessel is the 10th Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) and the fifth T-ATS vessel being constructed by Bollinger since acquiring the program in April of 2021.The keel authenticators were the Hon. David W. Hill, Principal Chief of the Muscogee Creek Nation, the Hon. Geri Wisner, Attorney General of the Muscogee Creek Nation and ship sponsor…

The construction of the next cruise ship for Disney Cruise Line has reached another milestone: assembly of the ship's hull began today with the traditional keel-laying ceremony. The ship is the sister ship of the Disney Treasure, which is also under construction, and the Disney Wish, which launched in 2022.The keel was laid in the 504-meter-long covered building dock at Meyer Werft in Germany. Philip Gennotte, portfolio project management executive, Walt Disney Imagineering Germany…

South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean has laid the keel for Cadeler’s newbuild wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), Wind Maker.The vessel was ordered in 2021 by Eneti, which was acquired by Denmark-based Cadeler in 2023. The vessel was to be named Nessie under previous ownership.The Gusto MSC NG16000X self-propelled jack up will be fitted with a Huisman 2600t at 31m radius leg encircling crane, allowing the installation of 14MW+ offshore wind turbines. It will feature a main deck area of 5…

Philly Shipyard this week held a keel laying ceremony for the fourth of five new purpose built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies.The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) new vessel program – known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) – was designed to provide world-class training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA held a keel laying ceremony for USNS Billy Frank, Jr., marking the official start of construction on the U.S. Navy’s eleventh Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 11).Ship sponsor Peggen Frank and her husband, William Frank III, authenticated the keel by welding their initials into a keel plate that will be welded to the hull of the ship. They were assisted by Brandon Auld, a four-year Austal USA veteran A-class structural fitter.Local community leaders…

Seaspan Shipyards hosted a ceremonial keel laying event for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) future HMCS Preserver.Scheduled for delivery in 2027, the vessel is the second of two Joint Support Ships being built by Seaspan as part of Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Through incorporating lessons learned on the design and construction of JSS1, the second Joint Support Ship is tracking ahead of schedule and efficiencies are seen throughout the build process – from advancements in design and supply chain streamlining…

General Dynamics Electric Boat held a keel laying for the Virginia-class submarine Tang (SSN 805) at its facility in Quonset Point, North Kingstown, R.I.The submarine will be the third ship in the U.S. Navy to carry the name Tang. The first USS Tang was a Balao-class submarine, SS 306, credited as the most successful U.S. submarine of WWII, sinking the most tonnage of any U.S. submarine—33 enemy ships—on five war patrols over the course of just 14 months."This ship represents…

South Korea-based Asia Shipbuilding recently held the keel laying ceremony for hull number ASB – 1245 of the Pacific Island Supply Vessel, an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.The consortium of Asia Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and the naval design company Kostec Co., Ltd., last year signed a contract with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to deliver an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs…

Philly Shipyard held a keel laying ceremony on Monday for the third vessel in a series of new purpose-built, state-of-the-art training ships for America’s state maritime academies.The newbuild is the third of five new National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) being built under a program for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), which owns and operates training ships for the nation's state maritime academies. The third NSMV is scheduled to be delivered to Maine Maritime Academy in 2024.MARAD's NSMV program is designed to provide a purpose-built…

German shipbuilder Meyer Werft held a keel laying ceremony for the second of three new Triton class cruise ships it is building for U.S. based Disney Cruise Line.The 144,000 GT Disney Treasure will have 1,240 cabins and is scheduled for delivery in 2024.Like sister ship Disney Wish, delivered by Meyer Werft in 2022, Disney Treasure will be equipped with low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion. Beyond Disney Wish, Meyer Werft has already delivered the Disney Dream and…

Silversea Cruises has celebrated the keel laying of the cruise ship Silver Ray at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.The 155-foot, 728-guest Silver Ray is the second ship in Silversea’s Nova class and is expected to enter service in summer 2024, following sister ship Silver Nova which is expected to enter service in summer 2023.The Nova-class ships will be fitted with dual-fuel LNG engines, energy storage and a 4MW fuel cell system. The system is the result of a research project involving Freudenberg e-Power Systems…

German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) on Monday held a keel laying ceremony for a new new roll-on / roll-off (RoRo) vessel currently under construction Tasmanian shipping and logistics company SeaRoad. It was announced during the ceremony that the vessel will be named SeaRoad I.During the ceremony, the first module for the newbuild, weighing more than 154 tonnes, was lowered by crane onto the blocks, and a coin was placed under the keel in accordance with maritime tradition.At 210 meters long and over 43,000 gross tonnes, the ship will be the largest in SeaRoad’s history.

Palatka, Fla. shipbuilder St. Johns Ship Building held a keel laying ceremony on January 18 for the second in a series of up six new aluminum crew transfer vessels (CTVs) for Rhode Island-based Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT) to service the offshore wind farm industry."This is another milestone for Atlantic Wind Transfers as we lay the keel for our second crew transfer vessel at St. John’s as AWT continues to expand its CTV fleet to support offshore wind construction and O&M in the U.S., said AWT founder Charles A. Donadio Jr.