# List of ship launches in 1973

The list of ship launches in 1973 includes a chronological list of ships launched in 1973. In cases where no official launching ceremony was held, the date built or completed may be used instead.
| Date | Country | Builder | Location | Ship | Class and type | Notes |
| 11 January | Denmark | A/S Nakskov Skibsværf | Nakskov | Svealand | Ferry | For Lion Ferry AB. |
| 13 January | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Parche | Sturgeon-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 16 January | West Germany | Nordseewerke | Emden | U20 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 18 January | United Kingdom | Yarrow Shipbuilders | Glasgow | Ambuscade | Type 21 frigate | For Royal Navy. |
| 19 January | Finland | Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard | Helsinki | Royal Viking Sea | Cruise ship | For Royal Viking Line |
| 25 January | Japan | | | Chitose | Chikugo-class destroyer escort | For Japanese Navy. |
| January | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Al Bushra | Patrol boat | For Royal Omani Navy. |
| 1 February | Netherlands | Rotterdamsche Droogdocks Maatschappij N.V. | Rotterdam | Sea-Land Trade | SL-7-class container ship | For Sea-Land Service |
| 3 February | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Truett | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 17 February | United Kingdom | | | Sovereign | Swiftsure-class submarine | For Royal Navy. |
| 1 March | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Al Nejah | Patrol boat | For Royal Omani Navy. |
| 6 March | Finland | Rauma Repola Oy | Rauma | Baltic Enterprise | RO-RO container ship | For United Baltic Corporation. |
| 9 March | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | U21 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 17 March | West Germany | J. J. Sietas Schiffswerft | Hamburg | Aurella | Ferry | For SF Line |
| 17 March | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Manchester Vigour | Container ship | For Manchester Liners Ltd. |
| 17 March | West Germany | Meyer Werft | Papenburg | Viking 4 | Ferry | For Rederi Ab Sally |
| 24 March | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Valdez | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 27 March | West Germany | Nordseewerke | Emden | U22 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 1 April | West Germany | Nordseewerke | Emden | Sea-Land Finance | SL-7-class container ship | For Sea-Land Service |
| 3 April | Argentina | Tandanor | Buenos Aires | San Luis | Type 206 submarine | For Argentine Navy |
| 4 April | West Germany | Schichau Unterweser | Bremerhaven | Eversand | Buoy tender | For Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamtes Bremerhaven |
| 1 May | West Germany | AG Weser | Bremen | Sea-Land Market | SL-7-class container ship | For Sea-Land Service |
| 12 May | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Moinester | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 25 May | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | U25 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 2 June | United States | Newport News Shipbuilding | Newport News, Virginia | L. Mendel Rivers | Sturgeon-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 17 March | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Manchester Zeal | Container ship | For Manchester Liners Ltd. |
| 16 June | Netherlands | A Vuyk & Zonen's Scheepswerven | Amsterdam | Stena Shipper | Ferry | For Stena Line |
| 26 June | West Germany | Nordseewerke | Emden | U24 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 6 July | Japan | Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries | Aioi | Svendborg Mærsk | container ship | For A. P. Møller - Mærsk |
| 23 July | Soviet Union | Yantar | Kaliningrad | Razumnyy | Project 1135 large anti-submarine ship | For Soviet Navy. |
| 28 July | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Wimpey Seadog | Offshore supply vessel | For Wimpey (Marine) Ltd. |
| 30 July | United Kingdom | Cammell Laird | Birkenhead | Birmingham | Type 42 destroyer | For Royal Navy. |
| 4 August | United States | Electric Boat | Groton, Connecticut | Glenard P. Lipscomb | Unique nuclear-powered submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 4 August | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Olympic Brilliance | Tanker | For Lakeport Navigation Co. |
| 6 August | Italy | Cant. Nav. "Luigi Orlando" | Livorno | Espresso Cagliari | Espresso Livorno-class ferry | For Trans Tirreno Express S.p.A. |
| 13 August | Japan | | | Hiei | Haruna-class destroyer | For Japanese Navy. |
| 21 August | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | U27 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 28 August | Japan | | | Niyodo | Chikugo-class destroyer escort | For Japanese Navy. |
| 31 August | Denmark | Aalborg Skibsværft A/S | Aalborg | Dana Regina | Ferry | For DFDS |
| 31 August | Finland | Rauma Repola Oy | Rauma | Baltic Progress | | For United Baltic Corporation. |
| 12 September | France | Dubigeon-Normandie SA | Nantes | Chartres | Train ferry | For SNCF |
| 17 September | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Starman | Ro-ro heavy lift ship | For Starman Ltd. |
| 1 October | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Mount Newman | Bulk carrier | For Furness Withy. |
| 10 October | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | Islay | Type 209 submarine | For Peruvian Navy. |
| 13 October | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Wimpey Sealion | Offshore supply vessel | For Wimpey (Marine) Ltd. |
| 20 October | Norway | Trosvik Mekaniske Verksteder | Brevik, | Mikolaj Kopernik | Ferry | For Polskie Linie Oceaniczne. |
| 21 October | Soviet Union | Zhdanov | Leningrad, | Marshal Timoshenko | Project 1134A Berkut A large anti-submarine ship | For Soviet Navy. |
| 23 October | Japan | | | Akigumo | Yamagumo-class destroyer | For Japanese Navy. |
| 30 October | Denmark | Svendborg Ship Yard | | Agdlek | Agdlek-class cutter cutter | For Royal Danish Navy. |
| 1 November | Netherlands | Rotterdamsche Droogdocks Maatschappij N.V. | Rotterdam | Sea-Land Resource | SL-7-class container ship | For Sea-Land Service |
| 5 November | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | U29 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 6 November | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Mamba | Patrol boat | For Kenyan Navy. |
| 10 November | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Spruance | Spruance-class destroyer | For United States Navy. |
| 20 November | West Germany | Nordseewerke | Emden | U26 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 27 November | United Kingdom | James Lamont & Co | Port Glasgow | Jupiter | Ferry | For Caledonian MacBrayne |
| 1 December | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Tarawa | Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship | For United States Navy. |
| 1 December | West Germany | AG Weser | Bremen | Sea-Land Commerce | SL-7 container ship | Sea-Land Service |
| 6 December | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Arco Severn | Dredger | For Consolidated Gold Fields Ltd. |
| Unknown date | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Al Mansur | Patrol boat | For Royal Omani Navy. |
| Unknown date | United Kingdom | J. Bolson & Son Ltd. | Poole | Duke of Normandy | Tug | For The States of Jersey. |
| Unknown date | China | | Mawei | Gu Tian | Concrete cargo ship | |