Although shipbuilding accounted for only 2% of gross national product in 2023, Croatia has a long history as a shipbuilding nation, and the maritime industry still makes a vital contribution to the country’s exports.This book presents the proceedings of SORTA 2024, the 26th Symposium on the Theory and Practice of Shipbuilding, held from 2 to 5 October 2024 in Zadar, Croatia. The name SORTA commemorates Professor Leopold Sorta, and the prestigious tradition of the symposia demonstrates the importance of shipbuilding science and practice in the Republic of Croatia. The aim of SORTA 2024 was to contribute to the integration of existing knowledge and experience in the context of modern scientific and professional achievements in the field of shipbuilding, offshore engineering, and maritime and inland navigation through invited lectures, scientific and professional papers, panel discussions and round tables. A total of 57 abstracts were submitted to the symposium, of which 26 were ultimately accepted as full papers after a thorough review process, representing an acceptance rate of 46%. Topics covered include construction, strength and vibration of vessels and offshore structures; design and hydromechanics of vessels and offshore structures; maritime transportation, environmentally friendly shipping, and safety of navigation; applications of artificial intelligence in shipbuilding and the maritime industry; and maritime economics, logistics and law.Covering a wide range of subjects and recent developments in the industry, the book will be of interest to all those working in the fields of shipbuilding and maritime engineering.