# List of ship launches in 1961

The list of ship launches in 1961 includes a chronological list of all ships launched in 1961.
| Date | Country | Builder | Location | Ship | Class / type | Notes |
| 2 January | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Bryher | Fishing trawler | For W. H. Podd Ltd. |
| 9 January | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Carlton Queen | Fishing trawler | For Talisman Trawlers Ltd. |
| 17 January | United Kingdom | John Brown & Company | Clydebank | Transvaal Castle | Ocean liner | For Union-Castle Line |
| 17 January | Japan | | | Isuzu | Isuzu-class destroyer escort | For Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
| 19 January | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | British Cormorant | Tanker | For British Tanker Company. |
| 31 January | United States | Puget Sound Bridge and Drydock Company | Seattle, Washington | Gridley | Leahy-class cruiser | For United States Navy |
| 31 January | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Tindfonn | Tanker | For Sigval Bergsen. |
| 1 February | Canada | Victoria Machinery Depot | Victoria, British Columbia | Saskatchewan | Mackenzie-class destroyer | For Royal Canadian Navy |
| 2 February | United States | Newport News Shipbuilding | Newport News, Virginia | Sam Houston | Ethan Allen-class submarine | For United States Navy |
| 1 March | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Port Alfred | Refrigerated cargo ship | For Port Line. |
| 7 March | Japan | | | Mogami | Isuzu-class destroyer escort | For Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
| 7 March | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Wilronwood | Fishing trawler | For Wilronwood Fishing Co. Ltd. |
| 16 March | United Kingdom | John Brown & Company | Clydebank | Hampshire | County-class destroyer | For Royal Navy |
| 17 March | United Kingdom | Atlantic Shipbuilding Co. Ltd | Newport | Ariadne III | Motor yacht | For private owner. |
| 17 March | United Kingdom | Atlantic Shipbuilding Co. Ltd | Newport | Chris B | Tug | For C. H. Bailey Ltd. |
| 17 March | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | George Peacock | Tanker | For Pacific Steam Navigation Company. |
| 17 March | United Kingdom | Atlantic Shipbuilding Co. Ltd | Newport | Sara B | Tug | For C. H. Bailey Ltd. |
| 26 March | Soviet Union | A.A. Zhdanov | Leningrad | Groznyy | Project 58 Groznyy-class cruiser | For Soviet Navy |
| 29 March | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Bombala | Cargo ship | For British India Steam Navigation Company. |
| 8 April | Australia | Cockatoo Island Dockyard | Sydney, New South Wales | Stuart | River-class destroyer escort | For Royal Australian Navy |
| 8 April | Australia | Williamstown Naval Dockyard | Melbourne, Victoria | Derwent | River-class destroyer escort | For Royal Australian Navy |
| 13 April | United Kingdom | Blyth Dry Docks & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd | Blyth, Northumberland | Dukesgarth | Bulk carrier | For St. Denis Shipping Co. Ltd. |
| 15 April | United States | Bethlehem Steel | Quincy, Massachusetts | Bainbridge | Bainbridge-class cruiser | For United States Navy |
| 28 April | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Levernbank | Cargo ship | For Bank Line. |
| 20 May | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Semmes | Charles F. Adams-class destroyer | For United States Navy |
| 25 May | Canada | Canadian Vickers | Montreal, Quebec | Mackenzie | Mackenzie-class destroyer | For Royal Canadian Navy |
| 31 May | France | Dubigeon | Nantes | Minerve | Daphné-class submarine | For French Navy |
| 31 May | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Port St Lawrence | Refrigerated cargo ship | For Bank Line. |
| 15 June | United Kingdom | J. Bolson & Son Ltd. | Poole | Coralshell | Tanker | For Shell Co. of the Bahamas. |
| 15 June | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Patrol | Pilot boat | For Trinity House. |
| 15 June | United States | Electric Boat | Groton, Connecticut | Thomas A. Edison | Ethan Allen-class submarine | For United States Navy |
| 26 June | West Germany | Lürssen | Bremen-Vegesack | Neckar | Rhine-class tender | For German Navy |
| 28 June | United Kingdom | Harland and Wolff | Belfast | Leander | Leander-class frigate | For Royal Navy |
| 1 July | United States | Mare Island Naval Shipyard | Vallejo, California | Permit | Permit-class submarine | For United States Navy |
| 1 July | United States | Bath Iron Works | Bath, Maine | Leahy | Leahy-class cruiser | For United States Navy |
| 2 July | Italy | Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico | Monfalcone | Galileo Galilei | Ocean liner | For Lloyd Triestino |
| 15 July | United States | Newport News Shipbuilding | Newport News, Virginia | John Marshall | Ethan Allen-class submarine | For United States Navy |
| 26 July | United Kingdom | Blyth Dry Docks & Shipbuilding Co. Ltd | Blyth, Northumberland | Maplehurst | Tanker | For Stephenson Clarke Ltd. |
| 27 July | Canada | Burrard Dry Dock | Vancouver, British Columbia | Yukon | Mackenzie-class destroyer | For Royal Canadian Navy |
| 29 July | United States | New York Shipbuilding | Camden, New Jersey | Berkeley | Charles F. Adams-class destroyer | For United States Navy |
| 31 July | Japan | | | Hayashio | Hayashio-class submarine | For Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
| 24 August | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | British Osprey | Tanker | For British Tanker Company. |
| 24 August | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Cressington | Dredger | For British Transport Commission. |
| 26 August | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Tattnall | Charles F. Adams-class destroyer | For United States Navy |
| 28 August | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Preceder | Pilot boat | For Trinity House. |
| 28 August | United Kingdom | J. Bolson & Son Ltd. | Poole | Sand Snipe | Dredger | For South Coast Shipping Co. Ltd. |
| 28 August | Japan | | | Wakashio | Hayashio-class submarine | For Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
| 17 September | United States | Puget Sound Navy Yard | Bremerton, Washington | Iwo Jima | Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship | For United States Navy |
| 22 September | France | Direction des Constructions et Armes Navales | Cherbourg | Galatée | Daphné-class submarine | For French Navy |
| 24 September | Italy | | | Guglielmo Marconi | Ocean liner | For Lloyd Triestino |
| 25 September | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Mincarlo | Fishing trawler | For W. H. Podd Ltd. |
| 27 September | United Kingdom | Harland and Wolff | Belfast | Kent | County-class destroyer | For Royal Navy |
| 30 September | France | Arsenal de Brest | Brest, France | Jeanne d'Arc | Helicopter carrier and cruiser hybrid | For French Navy |
| 12 October | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Tom Grant | Fishing trawler | For private owner. |
| 21 October | West Germany | HDW | Kiel | U 1 | Type 201 submarine | For German Navy |
| 24 October | Canada | Victoria Machinery Co. Depot Ltd | Victoria | City of Victoria | V-class ferry | For BC Ferries |
| 26 October | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Springbank | Cargo ship | For Bank Line. |
| 19 November | Soviet Union | A.A. Zhdanov | Leningrad | Admiral Fokin | Project 58 Groznyy-class cruiser | For Soviet Navy |
| 23 November | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | British Merlin | Tanker | For British Tanker Company. |
| 1 December | West Germany | Deutsche Werft AG | Hamburg-Finkenwerder | Cap San Diego | Cap-San-class bulk cargo | For Hamburg Süd |
| 7 December | United Kingdom | Swan Hunter | Wallsend | London | County-class destroyer | For Royal Navy |
| 9 December | United States | Island Naval Shipyard | Vallejo, California | Plunger | Permit-class submarine | For United States Navy |
| 9 December | United States | Portsmouth Naval Shipyard | Kittery, Maine | Tinosa | Permit-class submarine | For United States Navy |
| 9 December | United States | Bath Iron Works | Bath, Maine | Harry E. Yarnell | Leahy-class cruiser | For United States Navy |
| 9 December | United States | New York Shipbuilding | Camden, New Jersey | Joseph Strauss | Charles F. Adams-class destroyer | For United States Navy |
| 10 December | Canada | Marine Industries Limited | Sorel, Quebec | Nipigon | Annapolis-class destroyer | For Royal Canadian Navy |
| 15 December | United States | Puget Sound Bridge and Drydock Company | Seattle, Washington | Goldsborough | Charles F. Adams-class destroyer | For United States Navy |
| 21 December | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Olivebank | Tanker | For Bank Line. |
| 22 December | United Kingdom | Yarrow Shipbuilders | Glasgow | Dido | Leander-class frigate | For Royal Navy |
| Unknown date | United Kingdom | William Gray & Co. Ltd. | West Hartlepool | Blanchland | Bulk carrier | For Stephenson Clarke Ltd. |
| Unknown date | United Kingdom | Clelands (Successors) Ltd. | Wallsend | Cornishbrook | Tug | For private owner. |