# List of ship launches in 1972

The list of ship launches in 1972 includes a chronological list of all ships launched in 1972.
| Date | Country | Builder | Location | Ship | Class / type | Notes |
| 26 January | Finland | Rauma | Rauma-Reopla Oy | Bore X | | For Angfartygs Ab Bore |
| 1 February | Japan | | | Haruna | Haruna-class destroyer | For Japanese Navy. |
| 1 February | West Germany | Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft | Kiel | Proteus | Type 209 submarine | For Greek Navy. |
| 1 February | West Germany | Emden | Nordseewerke | U-14 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 19 February | United States | Electric Boat | Groton, Connecticut | Cavalla | Sturgeon-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 19 February | West Germany | Mützelfeldwerft | Cuxhaven | Westerland | Ferry | For HADAG. |
| 21 February | West Germany | Schiffswerft J.J. Sietas | Hamburg-Neuenfelde | Schleswig-Holstein | Ferry | For Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrum GmbH |
| 26 February | Italy | Cantieri Navali di Pietra Ligure | Pietra Ligure | Saint Eloi | Ferry | For Angleterre-Lorraine-Alsace Société Anonyme de Navigation |
| 11 March | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Kiska | Kilauea-class ammunition ship | For United States Navy. |
| 13 March | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Fallow Deer | Container ship | For London & Rochester Trading Co. Ltd. |
| 16 March | United Kingdom | Vosper Thornycroft | Southampton, England | Antelope | Type 21 frigate | For Royal Navy |
| 18 March | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Jesse L. Brown | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 18 March | Japan | | | Isoshio | Uzushio-class submarine | For Japanese Navy. |
| 24 March | Denmark | Helsingør Skibs & Maskinbygg | Helsingør | Kattegat | Ferry | For Jydsk Færgefart A/S |
| 30 March | Japan | | | Aokumo | Yamagumo-class destroyer | For Japanese Navy. |
| March | Spain | Bazán | Cartagena | Delfin | Daphné-class submarine | For Spanish Navy. |
| 15 April | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Ainsworth | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 22 April | United States | General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding | Quincy, Massachusetts | Fort Fisher | Anchorage-class dock landing ship | For United States Navy. |
| 26 April | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Belinda | Bulk carrier | For Mascot A/S. |
| 1 May | West Germany | AG Weser | Bremen | Sea-Land Galloway | SL-7 class container ship | For Sea-Land Service |
| 6 May | West Germany | Rickmers Werft | Bremerhaven | Wesertal | | For JA Reinecke & Co. |
| 9 May | Italy | Cantieri Navali del Tirreno & Riuniti | Riva Trigoso | Seaward | Cruise ship | For Norwegian Cruise Line |
| 12 May | Belgium | Cockerill | Hoboken, Antwerp | München | LASH carrier | |
| 13 May | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | G.W.191 | Barge | For Wimpey (Marine) Ltd. |
| 13 May | United States | Newport News Shipbuilding | Newport News, Virginia | Nimitz | Nimitz-class aircraft carrier | For United States Navy. |
| 16 May | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Dane | Fishing trawler | For British United Trawlers Finance Ltd. |
| 18 May | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Amey III | Dredger | For Amey Marine Ltd. |
| 24 May | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Caernarvon | Tanker | For Shell-Mex & B. P. |
| 26 May | Finland | Rauma Repola Oy | Rauma | Antares | | For Finska Ångfartygs Ab. |
| 3 June | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Miller | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 10 June | United States | Ingalls Shipbuilding | Pascagoula, Mississippi | Tunny | Sturgeon-class submarine | For United States Navy. |
| 12 June | United Kingdom | Yarrow Shipbuilders | Scotstoun, Glasgow | Almirante Condell | Condell-class frigate | For Chilean Navy |
| 12 June | United Kingdom | Swan Hunter | High Walker | Remuera | Container ship | For Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company |
| 15 June | West Germany | HDW | Kiel | U-15 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 15 June | Italy | Cant. Nav. "Luigi Orlando" | Livorno | Espresso Livorno | Espresso Livorno-class ferry | For Soc. Trahetti del Mediterraneo. |
| 29 June | Japan | | | Iwase | Chikugo-class destroyer escort | For Japanese Navy. |
| 1 July | United States | Newport News Shipbuilding | Newport News, Virginia | South Carolina | California-class cruiser | For United States Navy. |
| 8 July | United States | Bath Iron Works | Bath Maine | Export Leader | Container ship | For American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines |
| 11 July | Finland | Wärtsilä | Turku | Bore I | Ferry | For Steamship Company Bore / Silja Line |
| 12 August | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Thomas C. Hart | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 22 August | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Plymouth | Tanker | For Shell-Mex & B. P. |
| 28 August | Japan | Kanda Shipbuilding | Kure, Hiroshima | Bni Nsar | Ferry | |
| 28 August | West Germany | Meyer Werft | Papenburg | Diana | Ferry | For Rederi AB Slite / Viking Line |
| 29 August | West Germany | Nordseewerke | Emden | U-16 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 1 September | Netherlands | Rotterdamsche D.D.Mij N.V. | Rotterdam | Sea-Land McLean | SL-7 class container ship | For Sea-Land Service |
| 1 September | Netherlands | Rotterdamsche D.D.Mij N.V. | Rotterdam | Sea-Land Exchange | SL-7 class container ship | For Sea-Land Service |
| 8 September | Finland | Rauma Repola Oy | Rauma | Orion | | For Finska Ångfartygs Ab. |
| 5 October | Denmark | A/S Nakskov Skibsværf | Nakskov | Götaland | Ferry | For Statens Järnvägar |
| 7 October | United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Olympic Banner | Supertanker | For Carlow Maritime Panama. |
| 10 October | West Germany | HDW | Kiel | U-17 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 11 October | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Swansea | Tanker | For Shell-Mex & B. P. |
| 14 October | Japan | Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries | Kure | Globtik Tokyo | Oil tanker | For Globtik Tankers |
| 21 October | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Capodanno | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 24 October | United Kingdom | Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering | Barrow-in-Furness, England | Hércules | Type 42 destroyer | For Argentine Navy. |
| 31 October | West Germany | Nordseewerke | Emden | U-18 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| October | Spain | Bazán | Cartagena | Tonina | Daphné-class submarine | For Spanish Navy. |
| 1 November | United States | General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding | Quincy, Massachusetts | Kalamazoo | Wichita-class replenishment oiler | For United States Navy. |
| 4 November | United States | Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. | Chester, Pennsylvania | Hughes Glomar Explorer | | |
| 9 November | Argentina | Tandanor | Buenos Aires | Salta | Type 209 submarine | For Argentine Navy. |
| 10 November | Finland | Rauma | Rauma-Reopla Oy | Bore XI | | For Angfartygs Ab Bore. |
| 22 November | Japan | | | Narushio | Uzushio-class submarine | For Japanese Navy. |
| 22 November | United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Pict | Fishing trawler | For British United Trawlers Finance Ltd. |
| 23 November | United Kingdom | Vosper Thornycroft | Southampton | Active | Type 21 frigate | For Royal Navy |
| 25 November | United Kingdom | Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. | Appledore | Dundee | Tanker | For Shell-Mex & B. P. |
| 5 December | West Germany | Stader Schiffswerft | Stade | Funny Girl | Ferry | For Reederei Cassen Eils |
| 15 December | West Germany | HDW | Kiel | U-19 | Type 206 submarine | For German Navy. |
| 15 December | Finland | Rauma Repola Oy | Rauma | Sirius | | For Finska Ångfartygs Ab |
| 16 December | United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Pharris | Knox-class frigate | For United States Navy. |
| 26 December | Soviet Union | Chernomorskiy yard | Nikolayev | Kiev | Kiev-class aircraft carrier | For Soviet Navy. |
| Unknown date | Japan | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | Kobe | Rhine Maru | Kamakura Maru-type container ship | For Mitsui O.S.K. Lines |