Ship Launch
A Ship Launch is the moment a newly constructed hull first enters the water. Traditional end-on or side launches slide the hull down a greased slipway; modern yards more often build in a dry building dock and simply flood it to float out the hull, while smaller yards may use marine airbags.
Launch or float-out is a major contract milestone. At this point the hull must be watertight and structurally complete enough to float safely; outfitting, machinery commissioning and finishing then continue afloat at the fitting-out berth before sea trials and delivery.
Launch frees the building dock or slipway for the next hull — the most valuable, capacity-constrained asset a shipyard has. It is also a structural proving point: the hull must float on its own lines and stay watertight, so any weight or stability miscalculation shows up here rather than in service.
What is the difference between a launch and a float-out?
A launch slides a hull down a slipway into the water; a float-out floods the dry building dock the ship was built in so the hull lifts off its blocks and floats. Both mark the same contract milestone.