There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching."

The oldest, most familiar, and most widely used is the end-on launch, in which the vessel slides down an inclined slipway, usually stern first. With the side launch, the ship enters the water broadside.

The third method is float-out, used for ships that are built in basins or dry docks and then floated by admitting water into the dock. In all cases,

heavy chains are attached to the ship and the drag effect is used to slow the vessel once afloat, until tugboats can move the hull to a jetty for fitting out.