The official Crimson Desert Enhanced: Charting the Unknown Features Overview confirms that ships become available after the related Greymane questline. You can then build a ship through a shipbuilding dispatch or purchase one from a Fleet Office manager.
This guide explains the unlock process, compares building with buying, and lists the ship prices reported by community guides. Quest names, prices, and dispatch details may change with patches, so confirm them in your Journal and client.
Short Answer: Official Unlock Requirements
Pearl Abyss’s notice, published October 20, 2026, states that shipbuilding becomes available after:
- Completing Howling Hill in the main story.
- Setting up your Greymane Camp at Howling Hill.
- Completing the related faction questline.
Once that questline is finished, you can either:
- Send comrades on a shipbuilding dispatch mission at a port, or
- Purchase a ship from a Fleet Office manager.
The official notice does not publish exact ship prices, material recipes, camp levels, or dispatch durations. It says additional details will appear in the patch notes on the DLC release day. The Features Overview listed Charting the Unknown release times around October 29 GMT/PT (regional times on the notice).
Prerequisites: From Howling Hill to Shipbuilding
The first requirement is Howling Hill. After completing it, establish your Greymane Camp. Beebom describes the camp setup as automatic after Chapter 3, but that is a walkthrough observation rather than an official shipbuilding rule. If you need more context before starting the faction chain, see the Beginner's guide and Chapter 3 walkthrough.
Next, progress through the Greymane faction quests:
- Complete Expanding the Camp.
- Reach the A Wider World questline.
- Begin A Call from Beyond the Horizon.
- Meet three comrades at Greymane Camp and complete the conversation.
- Receive the shipbuilding unlock.
The quest names above come from Beebom and Output Lag’s October 30–31, 2026 walkthroughs. Output Lag specifically identifies A Wider World as the faction quest that opens the ship path. Beebom places A Call from Beyond the Horizon under the Wider World questline.
Because community guides can fall out of date after balance or quest changes, check your Journal for the current faction quest titles and objectives. The Faction reputation guide may also help with the broader Greymane progression.
Secondary Walkthrough Observations
Beebom’s walkthrough describes the sequence as follows:
- Set up Greymane Camp in Howling Hill.
- Progress the Greymane faction quests until Expanding the Camp is complete.
- Start A Call from Beyond the Horizon under the Wider World questline.
- Meet three comrades at Greymane Camp and speak with them to unlock shipbuilding.
Output Lag agrees that A Wider World leads toward the ship options and identifies A Call from Beyond the Horizon as the shipbuilding dispatch quest.
These are secondary-guide observations, not details from Pearl Abyss’s Features Overview. If your Journal shows a different label or the quest does not appear, follow the current in-client wording rather than forcing the guide sequence.
Build vs Buy and Fleet Office Prices
The table below combines the build-versus-buy comparison with the purchase prices reported by Beebom and Output Lag.
| Method | Option | Camp funds | Funds, time, or materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipbuilding dispatch | Small Shipbuilding | 10,000 | Also requires unspecified materials; Beebom reports a 12-hour build time |
| Fleet Office purchase | Humble Rowboat | 2,000 | Purchase option reported by both secondary guides |
| Fleet Office purchase | Small Hernandian Ship | 40,000 | Purchase option reported by both secondary guides |
| Fleet Office purchase | Medium Hernandian Ship | 1,200,000 | Purchase option reported by both secondary guides |
| Fleet Office purchase | Large Hernandian Ship | 6,000,000 | Purchase option reported by both secondary guides |
Price and duration caveat: These figures were observed in community guides published or updated October 30–31, 2026. Output Lag says its guide was checked on patch 2.04.00. Pearl Abyss did not publish these prices or the 12-hour duration in the Features Overview. Confirm the current values in your Fleet Office and in the dispatch interface. You can also check the Patch tracker.
The practical difference is straightforward: building uses a smaller camp-fund payment but also requires materials and waiting time. Buying removes the need to run the construction dispatch, but the available purchase prices range from 2,000 to 6,000,000 camp funds. Beebom describes the dispatch cost as 10,000 camp funds plus “a few other materials”; the material names and quantities are not specified in the supplied guide extract, so check the dispatch UI.
If you need more camp funds, use the Money making guide. Keep in mind that the listed ship prices are paid in camp funds, not silver.
How to Run the Small Shipbuilding Dispatch
After the shipbuilding quest is complete, Beebom gives this process:
- Travel to a port you have freed.
- Open the menu.
- Open the Dispatch missions tab.
- Select Small Shipbuilding.
- Dispatch at least five comrades.
- Pay 10,000 camp funds and the materials listed by the game.
- Wait for the build to finish.
Beebom reports a build time of 12 hours and suggests sleeping in a nearby bed while waiting. Treat that duration as a guide observation rather than an official promise. Patch notes, camp upgrades, or interface changes may alter it.
Do not rely on a separate material recipe outside the game. The supplied Beebom guide refers only to “a few other materials,” so confirm the exact requirements on the dispatch screen before accepting the mission.
Where to Buy or Start a Build
Output Lag lists Fleet Office ship sellers in:
- Vellua
- Demeniss
- Delesyia
Look for the Fleet Office manager or fleetmaster at those ports and check the available ships directly.
For construction, Output Lag specifically says the shipbuilding dispatch starts at Pailune. This is that guide’s observation. Beebom more broadly instructs players to use a port they have freed. If Pailune is available in your client, it is the clearest reported starting point for the dispatch. Otherwise, check the Dispatch missions tab at an accessible port.
After You Have a Ship
Pearl Abyss confirms that a built or purchased ship lets you sail the Great Ocean of Pywel. The official notice does not provide a full island list, cannon statistics, or trade routes for this guide, so do not expect this article to fill in those details.
Take the ship unlock as the beginning of ocean exploration rather than a single destination. Check your current objectives and quest markers in the Journal for the next required activity.
FAQ
How do I unlock shipbuilding in Crimson Desert?
Complete Howling Hill, establish your Greymane Camp, progress the faction chain through Expanding the Camp, and follow the A Wider World and A Call from Beyond the Horizon quests. Beebom says the shipbuilding skill unlocks after speaking with three comrades at camp.
Can I buy a ship instead of building one?
Yes. Pearl Abyss confirms that ships can be purchased from a Fleet Office manager. Output Lag lists Fleet Office sellers in Vellua, Demeniss, and Delesyia. Prices are paid in camp funds.
How much does the Small Shipbuilding dispatch cost?
Beebom reports a cost of 10,000 camp funds, at least five dispatched comrades, and unspecified additional materials. It also reports a 12-hour build time. Confirm all three requirements in your client because they are not included in the official Features Overview.
What is the cheapest ship?
Among the four purchases listed by Beebom and Output Lag, the Humble Rowboat is cheapest at 2,000 camp funds. The Small Hernandian Ship costs 40,000, the Medium Hernandian Ship 1,200,000, and the Large Hernandian Ship 6,000,000. These are community-guide prices observed on October 30–31, 2026, not official fixed prices.
For the broader DLC unlock sequence and other feature conditions, return to the Charting the Unknown DLC feature unlocks hub.