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.[1]
 | 
| 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.[2]
 | 
| 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.[3]
 | 
| 6 March
 | 
  Finland
 | 
Rauma Repola Oy
 | 
Rauma
 | 
Baltic Enterprise
 | 
RO-RO container ship
 | 
For United Baltic Corporation.[4]
 | 
| 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.[5]
 | 
| 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.[6]
 | 
| 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 Maersk
 | 
| 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.[7]
 | 
| 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.[8]
 | 
| 6 August
 | 
  Italy
 | 
Cant. Nav. "Luigi Orlando"
 | 
Livorno
 | 
Espresso Cagliari
 | 
Espresso Livorno-class ferry
 | 
For Trans Tirreno Express S.p.A.[9]
 | 
| 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.[10]
 | 
| 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.[11]
 | 
| 1 October
 | 
  United Kingdom
 | 
Harland & Wolff
 | 
Belfast
 | 
Mount Newman
 | 
Bulk carrier
 | 
For Furness Withy.[12]
 | 
| 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.[13]
 | 
| 20 October
 | 
  Norway
 | 
Trosvik Mekaniske Verksteder
 | 
Brevik,
 | 
Mikolaj Kopernik
 | 
Ferry
 | 
For Polskie Linie Oceaniczne.[14]
 | 
| 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.[15]
 | 
| 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.[16]
 | 
| 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.[17]
 | 
| Unknown date
 | 
  United Kingdom
 | 
Brooke Marine Ltd.
 | 
Lowestoft
 | 
Al Mansur
 | 
Patrol boat
 | 
For Royal Omani Navy.[18]
 | 
| Unknown date
 | 
  United Kingdom
 | 
J. Bolson & Son Ltd.
 | 
Poole
 | 
Duke of Normandy
 | 
Tug
 | 
For The States of Jersey.[19]
 | 
| Unknown date
 | 
  China
 | 
 | 
Mawei
 | 
Gu Tian
 | 
Concrete cargo ship
 | 
 | 
References