The purpose of this report is to review critically the available information on structural failures in welded ships.Although buckling failures in a few naval vessels and several transversely framed European tankers have been reported, this report will review failures from the brittle fracture point of view.Welded ship fractures were of the brittle-cleavage type and usually propagated at high velocity.There was no evidence of fatigue although high, local cyclic stresses in some cases undoubtedly contributed to crack initiation. The loud noise accompanying extensive fracture indicated the instantaneous release of a large amount of energy.