Estonian repair and maintenance capacity boosted by new floating dock

BLRT Grupp has opened a new 5,400m² floating dock with a lifting capacity of up to 10,000 tonnes in the Kopli district of Tallinn. The dock, which took 18 months to build at the Hat-San Shipyard in Turkey before being towed to Tallinn, is located on BLRT Grupp premises and is said to be the largest and most powerful of its kind in Estonia. The new dock is said to feature more environmentally friendly operations in response to customer requests for such services, and replaces the old 155m-long and 27m-wide dock previously occupying that space.

“The new floating dock allows us to re-fit and service ships with a holding capacity of up to 50,000 tonnes, significantly expanding Estonia's international potential within the maritime industry," explained Mark Berman, Tallinn Shipyard supervisory board chair, adding that the company's vessel repair investment plan has totalled EUR 90 million over the past five years. "This is a major investment, not only for us, but also for Estonia's entire industrial sector."

Fjodor Berman, chairman of the BLRT Grupp management board said, “This step propels the holding to a new level, offering shipowners new opportunities to maintain, repair, and upgrade larger vessels in Tallinn, including Handysize vessels. This will considerably enhance the competitiveness of both Tallinn Shipyard and the entire ship repair division of BLRT Grupp”. BLRT Grupp owns three ship repair yards: Western Shiprepair in Lithuania, and Turku Repair Yard in Finland, as well as Tallinn Shipyard.

Attending an opening ceremony for the new dock, recently elected Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal praised the dock as supporting the country’s strategy of development as a hub for environmentally friendly and innovative maritime services. "We tend to think of the maritime industry mainly in terms of ships and ports, but, as a matter of fact, this sector has tremendous potential. The commissioning of the new large floating dock at BLRT Grupp’s ship repair yard marks a significant milestone for Estonia’s industrial progress."

“This investment will substantially expand the yard’s capabilities to service, repair, and upgrade large-capacity vessels. Simultaneously, it will support Estonia’s strategy for developing a hub of environmentally safe and innovative maritime technologies and services. If we approach this wisely, we can transform Estonia into a nation as advanced in maritime technologies as we are today in digital technologies. Such investments make an essential contribution to the implementation of this ambitious plan,” he added.