Based on the William Brinkley novel, the Michael Bay drama centers on a global catastrophe that nearly destroys the Earth's population.

The renewal keeps the Eric Dane-led series on the air until 2018.

TNT is extending The Last Ship's voyage.

The Turner cable network has renewed the drama for a fifth season weeks after ordering a fourth season, it was announced Thursday.

The series, which is in the midst of its third season, currently ranks as one of basic cable's top 10 summer dramas among adults 18-49. TNT initially renewed the show just for a fourth season, set to premiere in 2017. Thursday's order will keep the Eric Dane-headlined drama on the air through 2018. Each season will run for 10 episodes.

Hank Steinberg and Steven Kane co-created The Last Ship and have served as showrunners for the first three seasons. Moving forward, Kane will serve as the sole showrunner. Steinberg and Kane executive produce alongside Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form. The latter trio's Platinum Dunes produces in association with Studio T.

"The Last Ship has taken viewers on an exciting ride through three truly thrilling seasons," TNT executive vp original programming Sarah Aubrey said in a statement. "We look forward to watching the cast and production team ratchet up the drama, action and suspense even more over the next two seasons through summer 2018."

Last Ship's renewal also comes days after TNT said goodbye to long-running procedural Rizzoli & Isles. Last Ship joins original series including Major Crimes, Animal Kingdom, Murder in the First and The Librarians. This fall, the cabler is getting ready to launch the Michelle Dockery-led drama Good Behavior.