Formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction
Driving the first or "golden" rivet during USS Missouri's keel laying, 1941Laying of the keel of USCGC Mariposa (WLB-397) in 1943Keel laying ceremony for USS Freedom (LCS-1), 2005. Note the pre-fabricated module in the background.
Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship.
Keel laying is one of the four specially celebrated events in the life of a ship; the others are launching, commissioning and decommissioning.
In earlier times, the event recognized as the keel laying was the initial placement of the central timber making up the backbone of a vessel, called the keel. As steel ships replaced wooden ones, the central timber gave way to a central steel beam.
Modern ships are most commonly built in a series of pre-fabricated, complete hull sections rather than around a single keel. The event recognized as the keel laying is the first joining of modular components, or the lowering of the first module into place in the building dock. It is now often called "keel authentication", and is the ceremonial beginning of the ship's life, although some modules may have been started months before that stage of construction.[1][2][3]
^NAVSEA – Naval Sea Systems Command. "Shipbuilding 101". Archived from the original on 2014-03-19. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
^"Ship Building Milestones". Navy League of the United States. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
^"Australia: Austal Holds Keel-Laying Ceremony..." NavalToday.com. 8 Jun 2012.
Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries...
may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. The laying of the keel is often the initial step in the construction of a ship. In the British...
Disney Dream, however, featured the hull number S688, and the date of the keellaying. On September 13, 2011 it was announced that the stern character on Disney...
for DNV. DNV. Retrieved 14 January 2024. "Royal Caribbean Celebrates KeelLaying For Icon Of The Seas". 5 April 2022. Archived from the original on 22...
construction is taking place. On March 30, 2023, the keellaying ceremony occurred at Meyer Werft with the keel coin showcasing Voyager Minnie, Captain Minnie's...
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January 2018, the day her name was also announced as Norwegian Encore. Her keel-laying ceremony was performed on 28 November 2018, accompanied by a performance...
project development phase was ongoing. The signature of a contract and keellaying was expected in March 2014. Further contracts and agreements relating...
2017, keellaying took place at Damen's Galați shipyard in Romania. Coins from Denmark, Netherlands, Romania, and Australia were welded to the keel as part...
crore, under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category". PIB India. 1 March 2023. "KEELLAYING OF CADET TRAINING SHIP". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 1 March 2024. "STEEL CUTTING...
General Dynamics' Electric Boat facility in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. A keellaying ceremony was held at the shipyard on 4 June 2022. Completion of District...
Indonesia state-own defense Industry PT PAL Indonesia successfully held the keellaying ceremony for the 1st Fregat Merah Putih (Red and White Frigate) Ship...
technologically advanced surface platforms of the Pakistan Navy fleet. KeelLaying ceremony of third PN MILGEM-class warship was held. The warship will...
Disney Dream, however, featured the hull number S688, and the date of the keellaying. On September 13, 2011 it was announced that the stern character on Disney...
with steel-cutting at the Meyer Werft shipyard in September 2015. Her keel-laying and coin ceremonies were performed in April 2016, where a ceremonial...
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