FORTE Arrives at Christmas Island to Return SpaceX Starship Ship 40 to Starbase

The Boskalis semi-submersible heavy transport FORTE arrived at Christmas Island on August 23, 2026, to begin loading SpaceX's Starship Ship 40 for the return voyage to Starbase in South Texas.

Ship 40 launched July 24 on Starship Flight 13. It splashed down intact. That made it the first Starship upper stage to survive reentry and an ocean landing. Tug crews spent more than three weeks hauling it through rough seas, bringing it to Christmas Island waters on August 18.

SpaceX contracted Boskalis to handle the return trip. FORTE left Singapore on August 20 and crossed the Indian Ocean to reach Christmas Island in three days.

Loading Ship 40 onto FORTE relies on the ship's semi-submersible hull. FORTE floods its ballast tanks, and the main deck drops below the waterline. Ship 40, floating freely, is moved above the submerged deck. Then FORTE deballasts. The ship rises underneath the spacecraft, lifting it clear of the water. From there, FORTE will carry Ship 40 on a multi-week voyage back to Starbase.