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.[1] | 
  | 9 January |  United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Carlton Queen | Fishing trawler | For Talisman Trawlers Ltd.[2] | 
  | 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.[3] | 
  | 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.[4] | 
  | 1 February | .svg.png) 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.[5] | 
  | 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.[6] | 
  | 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.[7] | 
  | 17 March |  United Kingdom | Atlantic Shipbuilding Co. Ltd | Newport | Chris B | Tug | For C. H. Bailey Ltd.[8] | 
  | 17 March |  United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | George Peacock | Tanker | For Pacific Steam Navigation Company.[9] | 
  | 17 March |  United Kingdom | Atlantic Shipbuilding Co. Ltd | Newport | Sara B | Tug | For C. H. Bailey Ltd.[10] | 
  | 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.[11] | 
  | 8 April | .svg.png) Australia | Cockatoo Island Dockyard | Sydney, New South Wales | Stuart | River-class destroyer escort | For Royal Australian Navy | 
  | 8 April | .svg.png) 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.[12] | 
  | 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.[13] | 
  | 20 May |  United States | Avondale Shipyard | Avondale, Louisiana | Semmes | Charles F. Adams-class destroyer | For United States Navy | 
  | 25 May | .svg.png) 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.[14] | 
  | 15 June |  United Kingdom | J. Bolson & Son Ltd. | Poole | Coralshell | Tanker | For Shell Co. of the Bahamas.[15] | 
  | 15 June |  United Kingdom | Brooke Marine Ltd. | Lowestoft | Patrol | Pilot boat | For Trinity House.[16] | 
  | 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.[17] | 
  | 27 July | .svg.png) 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.[18] | 
  | 24 August |  United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Cressington | Dredger | For British Transport Commission.[19] | 
  | 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.[20] | 
  | 28 August |  United Kingdom | J. Bolson & Son Ltd. | Poole | Sand Snipe | Dredger | For South Coast Shipping Co. Ltd.[21] | 
  | 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.[22] | 
  | 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.[23] | 
  | 21 October |  West Germany | HDW | Kiel | U 1 | Type 201 submarine | For German Navy | 
  | 24 October | .svg.png) Canada | Victoria Machinery Co. Depot Ltd | Victoria | City of Victoria | V-class ferry | For BC Ferries[24] | 
  | 26 October |  United Kingdom | Harland & Wolff | Belfast | Springbank | Cargo ship | For Bank Line.[25] | 
  | 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.[26] | 
  | 1 December |  West Germany | Deutsche Werft AG | Hamburg-Finkenwerder | Cap San Diego | Cap-San-class bulk cargo | For Hamburg Süd[27] | 
  | 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 | .svg.png) 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.[28] | 
  | 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. | 
 References
  - Sources
- Mitchell, WH; Sawyer, LA (1990). The Empire Ships (Second ed.). London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.