# List of ship launches in 1986

The list of ship launches in 1986 includes a chronological list of all ships launched in 1986.
| Date | Country | Builder | Location | Ship | Class / type | Notes |
| 11 January | United States | Todd Pacific Shipyards | San Pedro, California | Rodney M. Davis | Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 17 January | France | Chantiers et ateliers de la Perrière | Lorient | Vulcain | Vulcain-class minesweeper | For French Navy. |
| 24 January | Poland | Stocznia Szczecinska im A Warskiego | Szczecin | Konstantin Chernenko | Dmitriy Shostakovich-class ferry | For Far Eastern Shipping Company |
| 29 January | Japan | | | Shimayuki | Hatsuyuki-class destroyer | For Japanese Navy. |
| 1 February | United States | Lockheed Shipbuilding | Seattle, Washington | Fort McHenry | Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship | For United States Navy. |
| 9 February | Japan | | | Takeshio | Yūshio-class submarine | For Japanese Navy. |
| 14 February | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Antietam | Ticonderoga-class cruiser | For United States Navy. |
| 14 February | Belgium | Mercantile-Belyard | Rupelmonde | Bellis | Tripartite-class minehunter | For Belgian Navy. |
| 20 February | Soviet Union | Zaliv Shipbuilding yard | Kerch, Ukraine | Sevmorput | LASH carrier | Nuclear-powered cargo ship |
| 21 February | Denmark | Frederikshavn Værft | Frederikshavn | Mercandian Universe | Type FV 2100 RoRo-ship | For Per Henriksen [da] |
| 22 February | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Joshua Humphreys | Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler | |
| 1 March | United Kingdom | Vosper Thornycroft | Woolston | Atherstone | Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel | For Royal Navy. |
| 15 March | United States | Newport News Shipbuilding | Newport News, Virginia | Newport News | Los Angeles-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 26 March | United Kingdom | Swan Hunter | Wallsend | Sheffield | Type 22 frigate | For Royal Navy. |
| 29 March | United States | Bath Iron Works | Bath, Maine | Kauffman | Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 8 April | United Kingdom | Swan Hunter | Wallsend | Coventry | Type 22 frigate | For Royal Navy. |
| 24 April | Republic of South Africa | Sandock Austral | Durban, South Africa | Drakensberg | Fleet replenishment vessel | For South African Navy. |
| 25 April | Soviet Union | Baltic Shipyard | Leningrad | Kalinin | Kirov-class battlecruiser | For Soviet Navy. |
| 27 April | Soviet Union | Zelenodolsk Shipyard | Zelenodolsk | SKR-195 | Koni-class frigate | For Soviet Navy. |
| 9 May | Finland | Hollming | Rauma | Finn | Finnpusku pusher vessel | |
| 30 May | West Germany | HDW | Kiel | Turgutreis | Yavuz-class frigate | For Turkish Navy. |
| 30 May | West Germany | HDW | Kiel | Astor | Cruise ship | |
| 30 May | Denmark | Frederikshavn Værft | Frederikshavn | Mercandian Sun II | Type FV 2100 RoRo-ship | For Per Henriksen [da] |
| 31 May | United States | Bay Shipbuilding | Sturgeon Bay | Sea-Land Anchorage | D7-class container ship | For Sea-Land Corporation |
| 20 June | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Leyte Gulf | Ticonderoga-class cruiser | For United States Navy. |
| 20 June | United States | Tacoma Boatbuilding Company | Tacoma, Washington | Assertive | Stalwart-class ocean surveillance ship | |
| 21 June | United Kingdom | Yarrow Shipbuilders | Glasgow | Cumberland | Type 22 frigate | For Royal Navy. |
| 28 June | United States | Electric Boat | Groton, Connecticut | Helena | Los Angeles-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 9 July | Italy | Cantiere navale del Muggiano | La Spezia | Alliance | Research vessel | For NATO. |
| 23 July | Spain | Bazan | Ferrol | Victoria | Santa María-class frigate | For Spanish Navy. |
| 9 August | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | John Lenthall | Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler | |
| 9 August | Sweden | Kockums | Malmö | Celebration | Holiday-class cruise ship | For Carnival Cruise Lines |
| 16 August | West Germany | Schichau Seebeckwerft | Bremerhaven | Nils Holgersson | Cruiseferry | For Swecarrier for TT-Line traffic |
| 22 August | Finland | Valmet Vuosaari shipyard | Helsinki | Yuriy Arshenevskiy | SA-15 type cargo ship | |
| 29 August | Denmark | Frederikshavn Værft | Frederikshavn | Mercandian Sea II | Type FV 2100 RoRo-ship | For Per Henriksen [da] |
| 31 August | Finland | Wärtsilä Perno shipyard | Turku | Kronprins Harald | Cruiseferry | For Jahre Line |
| 5 September | United Kingdom | Appledore Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd | Appledore | Arco Avon | Dredger | For Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd. |
| 5 September | South Korea | Hyundai Heavy Industries | Ulsan | Berge Stahl | Ore carrier | |
| 19 September | Japan | | | Asagiri | Asagiri-class destroyer | For Japanese Navy. |
| 27 September | United States | Bay Shipbuilding | Sturgeon Bay | Sea-Land Tacoma | D7-class container ship | For Sea-Land Corporation |
| 14 October | United States | National Steel and Shipbuilding | San Diego, California | Exxon Valdez | Oil tanker | For Exxon Corporation |
| 14 October | West Germany | Kröger shipyard | Schacht-Audorf | Schwedeneck | Schwedeneck-class research vessel | For German Navy. |
| 24 October | West Germany | Orenstein & Koppel | Lübeck | Nordstrand | Nordstand-class tug | For German Navy. |
| 3 November | United Kingdom | Vickers Shipbuilding | Barrow-in-Furness | Trenchant | Trafalgar-class submarine | For Royal Navy. |
| 14 November | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | San Jacinto | Ticonderoga-class cruiser | For United States Navy. |
| 28 November | West Germany | Orenstein & Koppel | Lübeck | Langeness | Nordstand-class tug | For German Navy. |
| 6 December | United States | Electric Boat | Groton, Connecticut | San Juan | Los Angeles-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 13 December | United States | Electric Boat | Groton, Connecticut | Tennessee | Ohio-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 17 December | Finland | Valmet Vuosaari shipyard | Helsinki | Vasiliy Burkhanov | SA-15 type cargo ship | |
| 20 December | United States | Bay Shipbuilding | Sturgeon Bay | Sea-Land Kodiak | D7-class container ship | For Sea-Land Corporation |
| Exact date unknown | Japan | Tokuoka Zosen K.K. | Naruto | Daifuku Maru No. 8 | Cargo ship | For Daifuku Kaiun K.K. |
| Exact date unknown | Finland | Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard | Helsinki | Kontio | Icebreaker | |
| Exact date unknown | United Kingdom | David Abels Boatbuilders Ltd. | Bristol | Albion | Workboat | For Bristol City Council. |
| Exact date unknown | United States | Jennings Shipyard | | Argia | Gaff topsail schooner | |
| Exact date unknown | United Kingdom | David Abels Boatbuilders Ltd. | Bristol | Hubberston | Pilot boat | For Milford Haven Port Authority. |
| Exact date unknown | United Kingdom | David Abels Boatbuilders Ltd. | Bristol | Mary Marie | Fishing vessel | For private owner. |
| Exact date unknown | United Kingdom | Bailey & Boynton Ltd. | Hull | Yarra | Workboat | For Bailey & Boynton Ltd. |