# List of ship launches in 1978

The list of ship launches in 1978 includes a chronological list of all ships launched in 1978.
| Date | Country | Builder | Location | Ship | Class / type | Notes |
| 7 January | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Markinch | Cargo ship | For J. & J. Denholm Ltd. |
| 10 January | France | Chantiers de France | Dunkerque | S.A. Sederberg | The Big Whites-type refrigerated cargo ship | For Deutsche West-Afrika-Linie |
| 14 January | United States | Lockheed Shipbuilding | Seattle, Washington | Frank Cable | Emory S. Land-class submarine tender | For United States Navy. |
| 21 January | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Nassau | Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship | For United States Navy. |
| 27 January | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Coastal Hercules | Supertanker | For Pomona Shipping Co. |
| 31 January | France | Chantiers Navals de La Ciotat | La Ciotat | S.A. Waterberg | The Big Whites-type refrigerated cargo ship | For Deutsche West-Afrika-Linie |
| 7 February | Peru | | | Villavisencio | Modified Lupo-class frigate | For Peruvian Navy |
| 18 February | Denmark | Frederikshavn Vaerft | Frederikshavn | Mercandian Transporter II | Type FV 610 Ro-Ro ship | For Per Henriksen |
| 24 February | West Germany | Husumer Schiffswerft GmbH | Husum | Nordfriesland | Ferry | For Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrum GmbH |
| 25 February | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | John Rodgers | Spruance-class destroyer | For United States Navy. |
| 1 March | United States | Todd Pacific Shipyards | Seattle, Washington | Duncan | Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 3 March | Finland | Valmet Vuosaari shipyard | Helsinki | Yulius Fuchik | Barge carrier | For V/O Sudoimport |
| 3 March | Norway | Ankerløkken Verft Glommen A/S | Fredrikstad | Costa Rica | RoRo-ship | For Linera Naviera Oan Atlantica S.A. |
| 5 March | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Cerinthus | Cargo ship | For Hadley Shipping Co. Ltd. |
| 17 March | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | Transvaal | Type MCS 2700 reefer | For Deutsche West-Afrika-Linie |
| 20 March | South Korea | | | Merzario Espania | Ferry | For Stena Container Line |
| 20 March | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | Poseidon | Type 209 submarine | For Greek Navy |
| 23 March | United Kingdom | Bartram & Sons Ltd | Sunderland | Australind | Cargo ship | For Australind Steamship Co. |
| 8 April | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Leftwich | Spruance-class destroyer | For United States Navy. |
| 25 April | United Kingdom | Swan Hunter | Wallsend, England | Exeter | Type 42 destroyer | For Royal Navy. |
| 7 May | United Kingdom | Vickers-Armstrongs | | Spartan | Swiftsure-class submarine | For Royal Navy. |
| 19 May | France | Chantiers de l'Atlantique | Saint Nazaire | S.A. Winterberg | The Big Whites-type refrigerated cargo ship | For Deutsche West-Afrika-Linie |
| 14 June | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | Amfitriti | Type 209 submarine | For Greek Navy. |
| 17 June | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Cushing | Spruance-class destroyer | For United States Navy. |
| 21 June | United States | Todd Pacific Shipyards | Seattle, Washington | Adelaide | Adelaide-class frigate | For Royal Australian Navy. |
| 23 June | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | City of Plymouth | Container ship | For Container Rentals Ltd. |
| 24 June | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Appleby | Bulk carrier | For Ropner Shipping. |
| 3 July | Soviet Union | Shipyard 340 | Zelenodolsk | Krechet | Koni-class frigate | For Soviet Navy. |
| 22 July | United States | Electric Boat | Groton, Connecticut | Bremerton | Los Angeles-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 25 July | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine | Lowestoft, England | Al Munassir | Amphibious warfare ship | For Royal Omani Navy. |
| 29 July | United States | Todd Pacific Shipyards | San Pedro, California | Wadsworth | Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 10 August | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Harry W. Hill | Spruance-class destroyer | For United States Navy. |
| August | Norway | Ankerløkken Verft Glommen A/S | Frederikstad | Centro America | RoRo-ship | For Linera Naviera Oan Atlantica S.A. |
| 18 September | Japan | | | Shirane | Shirane-class destroyer | For Japanese Navy. |
| 25 September | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | O'Bannon | Spruance-class destroyer | For United States Navy. |
| 6 October | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Hornby Grange | Tanker | For Furness Withy. |
| 14 October | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | City of Perth | Container ship | For Container Rentals Ltd. |
| 14 October | Denmark | Frederikshavn Vaerft | Frederikshavn | Mercandian Importer II | type FV 610 Ro-Ro ship | For Per Henriksen. |
| 21 October | United States | Newport News Shipbuilding | Newport News, Virginia | Arkansas | Virginia-class cruiser | For United States Navy. |
| 4 November | United States | Bath Iron Works | Bath, Maine | McInerney | Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 16 November | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | Okeanos | Type 209 submarine | For Greek Navy |
| 18 November | United States | Electric Boat | Groton, Connecticut | Jacksonville | Los Angeles-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 21 November | Finland | Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard | Turku | Turella | Cruiseferry | For SF Line for Viking Line traffic |
| 25 November | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Peleliu | Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship | For United States Navy. |
| 1 December | United States | Todd Pacific Shipyards | Seattle, Washington | Canberra | Adelaide-class frigate | For Royal Australian Navy. |
| 2 December | France | | | Dupleix | Georges Leygues-class frigate | For French Navy. |
| 14 December | United Kingdom | Swan Hunter | Wallsend, England | Illustrious | Invincible-class aircraft carrier | For Royal Navy. |
| 15 December | United Kingdom | Yarrow Shipbuilders | Glasgow, Scotland | Brilliant | Type 22 frigate | For Royal Navy. |
| 16 December | United States | Todd Pacific Shipyards | San Pedro, California | George Philip | Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 28 December | Japan | Namura Shipbuilding Company | Imari | Seatrain Oriskany | Container ship | |
| Unknown date | West Germany | Rickmers Rederei | Bremerhaven, Germany | Emadala | Ferry | For Emadala Shipping Co |
| Unknown date | Ireland | Arklow Engineering Co Ltd. | Wexford | Glenbrook | Tug | For private owner. |