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The list of ship commissionings in 1938 includes a chronological list of all ships commissioned in 1938.
| Date | Operator | Ship | Class and type | Pennant | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 February | Luftwaffe | Hans Rolshoven | Krischan-class seaplane tender | Completion date | |
| 21 May |  Kriegsmarine | Gneisenau | Scharnhorst-class battleship | ||
| 25 June | Kriegsmarine | U-45 | Type VIIB submarine | U-45 | |
| 4 August | Kriegsmarine | U-37 | Type IX ocean-going submarine | U-37 | |
| 6 August | Kriegsmarine | U-51 | Type VIIB submarine | U-51 | |
| 15 September |  French Navy | Strasbourg | Dunkerque-class battleship | ||
| 24 October | Kriegsmarine | U-38 | Type IX ocean-going submarine | U-38 | |
| 2 November | Kriegsmarine | U-46 | Type VIIB submarine | U-46 | |
| 26 November | Kriegsmarine | U-56 | Type VIIB submarine | U-56 | |
| 26 November | Luftwaffe | Sperber | Light seaplane tender | Completion date | |
| 17 December | Kriegsmarine | U-47 | Type VIIB submarine | U-47 | |
| 24 December | Kriegsmarine | U-39 | Type IX ocean-going submarine | U-39 | |
| 29 December | Kriegsmarine | U-57 | Type VIIB submarine | U-57 |