Updated October 31, 2026
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Trying to build your first ship in Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown, but Small Shipbuilding is missing from the dispatch menu or refuses to start?
The mission is tied to Greymane camp progression, and its location is easy to overlook. Even after unlocking it, you must assign five suitable comrades and provide enough camp resources before construction can begin.
This guide explains how to unlock Small Shipbuilding, find its dispatch entry at Vellua, resolve skill and resource warnings, and continue the quest after your ship is built.
📋 Table of Contents
Quick Answer: How to Start Small Shipbuilding
To start Small Shipbuilding in Crimson Desert:
- Establish and expand your Greymane camp.
- Open Journal → Faction Quests → Greymanes → Charting the Unknown → A Wider World.
- Track A Call from Beyond the Horizon and speak with your comrades at camp.
- Speak with Ross, the Base Camp Dispatch Coordinator.
- Open Mission Dispatch → Activity → Crafting.
- Scroll to Vellua — Small Shipbuilding.
- Prepare 600 Stone, 600 Wood, 1,200 Provisions, and 10,000 Camp Funds.
- Select five comrades, making sure your selection satisfies the mission's skill requirements.
- Press Dispatch and confirm the assignment.
The mission displays a duration of 12 in-game hours.
If Small Shipbuilding is missing: check your quest progression and the correct dispatch category. If it appears but will not start, check the comrade count, Engineering skills, and resources.
How to Unlock Small Shipbuilding in Crimson Desert
Small Shipbuilding becomes available through the Greymane faction questline introduced with Charting the Unknown.
You must first establish the Greymane camp and advance its expansion progression.
The important quest path is:
Greymane Camp → A Wider World → A Call from Beyond the Horizon
The A Wider World questline becomes available after the required Howling Hill story and camp-expansion progress.
Where to Find A Call from Beyond the Horizon
Open your Journal and follow this path:
Faction Quests → Greymanes → Charting the Unknown → A Wider World → A Call from Beyond the Horizon
The initial objective is:
Speak with your comrades
Its description explains that your comrades have gathered at camp to discuss something.
Track the quest to reveal its location, then approach the group and complete the conversation.
The quest introduces the idea of building a ship and eventually directs you toward Small Shipbuilding.
What if A Wider World Is Missing?
If the questline is unavailable, check whether you have completed the Howling Hill story progression and expanded your Greymane camp sufficiently.
The Expanding the Camp faction quest is an important progression milestone.
Your current camp location may differ depending on how far you have progressed. Follow the active quest marker rather than assuming every player begins the conversation at the same camp.
Important: A missing quest does not automatically mean your save is bugged. It may indicate that the required story or camp progression is incomplete.
Where to Find Small Shipbuilding
Small Shipbuilding is a dispatch assignment associated with Vellua, a coastal settlement south of Hernand.
You can find it through the Greymane camp's Mission Dispatch interface.
Step 1: Speak with Ross
At your Greymane base camp, find Ross, the Base Camp Dispatch Coordinator.
His interaction menu includes:
- Mission Dispatch
- Manage Comrades
- Leave
Select Mission Dispatch.
Step 2: Switch to Activity
The Mission Dispatch screen has two main sections:
Resource Production and Activity.
Select Activity.
This distinction matters because Small Shipbuilding is not listed among the ordinary Resource Production assignments.
Step 3: Open Crafting
Under Activity, select the Crafting category, represented by a gear icon.
The list includes several assignments involving crafting, engineering, and production.
Scroll down until you find:
Vellua — Small Shipbuilding
Select the mission to view its requirements and choose your comrades.
Tip: Small Shipbuilding can appear below several unrelated crafting missions. Scroll through the list before assuming it has not unlocked.
Small Shipbuilding Requirements: Materials, Comrades, and Time
The Vellua Small Shipbuilding mission requires the following:
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stone | 600 |
| Wood | 600 |
| Provisions | 1,200 |
| Camp Funds | 10,000 |
| Comrades | 5 |
| Task Duration | 12 in-game hours |
All required materials are deducted from your available camp resources when you start the dispatch.
Make sure your camp has enough of each resource before selecting the mission.
Why Does the Reward Show ???
The Small Shipbuilding reward can initially appear as ??? in the dispatch panel.
This is a concealed reward display, not proof that the mission is broken.
Completing the introductory shipbuilding assignment leads to the Small Greymane Ship.
How to Select Five Comrades for Small Shipbuilding
After selecting Small Shipbuilding, the game opens a comrade-selection screen.
You can inspect each available comrade's skills before assigning them.
The right side of the screen shows:
- Members Required
- Task Duration
- Materials
- Comrades Selected
- Total Reward
You must select five suitable comrades before starting the mission.
Check Engineering Skills
Engineering is especially relevant when selecting a team for Small Shipbuilding.
The skill descriptions include:
Engineering I — Allows engineering missions to be carried out.
If you see a skill requirement warning, inspect your available comrades for the Engineering gear icon.
Including an Engineering-qualified comrade is a useful first check, although the exact minimum skill combination is not explicitly displayed in the mission panel.
Example of a Successful Five-Comrade Team
A successful Small Shipbuilding dispatch uses:
- Fred
- Falstaff
- Max
- Gilbert
- Arnold
This is an example of a working team, not a requirement to recruit those five specific characters.
Use available comrades whose skills satisfy the assignment.
How to Start the Small Shipbuilding Dispatch
Once you have the resources and suitable comrades:
- Select Vellua — Small Shipbuilding.
- Choose five comrades.
- Confirm that the skill warning has cleared.
- Press the displayed Dispatch command.
- Review the confirmation message.
- Select Confirm.
On PC, the demonstrated control is F — Dispatch.
After confirmation, the game displays Mission Started.
The Small Shipbuilding entry then changes to In Progress, showing its 12-hour task duration.
Can You Cancel Small Shipbuilding?
The confirmation screen warns that canceling the assignment has resource-recovery consequences.
Read the cancellation warning carefully before starting or canceling a mission.
If you have already dispatched five comrades, avoid canceling the assignment simply because construction is taking time.
Small Shipbuilding Not Showing? What to Check
If the Small Shipbuilding mission is missing, check these possibilities in order.
1. A Call from Beyond the Horizon Has Not Progressed Far Enough
Open the Journal and check your current objective.
If it still says Speak with your comrades, complete the camp conversation first.
Small Shipbuilding is introduced through this quest sequence.
2. You Are Looking Under Resource Production
Small Shipbuilding is found under:
Mission Dispatch → Activity → Crafting
Do not search only in Resource Production.
3. You Have Not Scrolled Far Enough
The Crafting list contains numerous other missions.
Small Shipbuilding can appear below entries for paintings, wagon production, and other crafting activities.
Scroll farther down the list and look for Vellua.
4. Your Greymane Camp Progression Is Incomplete
If the questline itself is missing, check the Greymane faction quests and camp-expansion progress.
The A Wider World unlock depends on reaching the relevant story and camp-development milestones.
5. Check Vellua's Available Activities
If the quest has progressed but you still cannot find the dispatch, inspect Vellua's map entry and available mission information.
Some port services and activities are tied to local progression. However, Vellua liberation should not be assumed to be a universal prerequisite for every player without checking the actual quest state.
Small Shipbuilding Says Skill Requirements Not Met
The warning Skill requirements not met appears when the current comrade selection does not satisfy the assignment's conditions.
If you encounter it:
- Check how many comrades you have selected.
- Confirm that you have selected five.
- Inspect their individual skills.
- Look for Engineering-qualified comrades.
- Adjust the selection and check whether the warning disappears.
A successful five-comrade team can start the mission once its requirements are satisfied.
What if You Don't Have Enough Suitable Comrades?
Check whether some of your comrades are already assigned elsewhere.
You can also continue Greymane faction activities to recruit additional comrades with useful skills.
Do not assume that simply choosing your five highest-level comrades will satisfy every dispatch requirement. The relevant skill icons matter.
Small Shipbuilding Dispatch Not Starting? Fixes to Try
If Small Shipbuilding appears in the list but the assignment will not begin, identify which requirement is preventing progress.
Five Comrades Selected but Dispatch Still Unavailable
Check the skill requirements rather than repeatedly selecting the same team.
The mission may require a particular skill combination, even when the member count is correct.
Materials Are Missing
Check your camp resources against the mission costs:
- 600 Stone
- 600 Wood
- 1,200 Provisions
- 10,000 Camp Funds
If a resource is insufficient, gather or produce more before retrying.
Dispatch Confirmation Does Not Open
If the requirements appear satisfied but the command does not respond, close and reopen the Mission Dispatch menu.
If the problem continues, save your progress and restart the game before checking again.
These are general troubleshooting steps. They are not confirmed fixes for a specific Small Shipbuilding software bug.
Mission Started but No Ship Appears
Starting the dispatch does not immediately make the ship available.
Check whether the 12-hour assignment has completed, then follow the updated quest objectives.
If the mission remains in progress, do not assume the ship is missing.
For another dispatch-related progression problem in the same expansion, see our Crimson Desert Island Pioneering Dispatch Not Working? Fixes & 100% Stuck Guide. That guide explains how to distinguish a dispatch awaiting completion from one that may genuinely be stuck.
What Happens After Small Shipbuilding?
Once the construction assignment is completed, the introductory shipbuilding quest transitions into the next stage of the maritime questline.
The game marks A Call from Beyond the Horizon as completed and introduces:
Where the Wind Blows
Where the Wind Blows Objectives
The next quest begins with two objectives:
- Examine the Harbor Notice Board
- Examine the supplies
Follow the quest markers toward the harbor.
The maritime questline takes you to the coastal area around Vellua, including the Bay of Steel.
How to Prepare Your First Ship
Continue the harbor objectives and speak with the relevant NPCs.
The Ship Manager allows you to access your available ships and manage their crews.
Your introductory vessel is the Small Greymane Ship.
Before setting sail, check the ship's crew assignments and follow any remaining quest prompts.
The shipbuilding dispatch and the subsequent harbor preparations are separate stages. Completing construction does not mean you have finished every introductory sailing objective.
Related Crimson Desert Guides
If you are exploring the new expansion or returning after the 2.0 update, these guides may help:
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Small Shipbuilding not showing in Crimson Desert?
You may not have progressed far enough through A Call from Beyond the Horizon, or you may be checking the wrong dispatch category. Look under Mission Dispatch → Activity → Crafting after unlocking the shipbuilding objective.
Where is Small Shipbuilding located?
Small Shipbuilding is associated with Vellua. You can access its dispatch entry through Ross at the Greymane camp.
How many comrades do I need?
You need five comrades to begin Small Shipbuilding.
Do I need Engineering for Small Shipbuilding?
Engineering-qualified comrades are recommended when checking the mission's skill requirements. If the game displays Skill requirements not met, review the Engineering icons and adjust your selected team.
How long does Small Shipbuilding take?
The mission displays a duration of 12 in-game hours.
What materials are needed for Small Shipbuilding?
You need 600 Stone, 600 Wood, 1,200 Provisions, and 10,000 Camp Funds.
Why does the reward show question marks?
The reward is initially concealed as ???. The introductory shipbuilding assignment leads to the Small Greymane Ship.
What happens after Small Shipbuilding?
The questline continues with Where the Wind Blows, which includes examining the Harbor Notice Board and supplies before preparing your ship for sailing.
Is Small Shipbuilding not starting a confirmed bug?
Not necessarily. Missing quest progression, an incorrect dispatch category, insufficient materials, or unmet skill requirements can prevent the mission from starting normally. A genuine software issue should only be considered after those requirements have been checked.
Final Tips
If Small Shipbuilding is missing, first check A Call from Beyond the Horizon and the Activity → Crafting dispatch menu.
If it appears but will not start, confirm that you have enough resources and five suitable comrades, including Engineering-qualified members where needed.
Once the mission begins, allow its 12-hour timer to complete and follow Where the Wind Blows to continue toward your first voyage in Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown.
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