First new drydock arrives in Grand Bahama

Grand Bahama Shipyard has received the first of two floating drydocks forming part of a USD 665 million reinvestment programme. The second dock is due next year, marking the yard’s largest capital upgrade and forming a significant element of the island’s wider USD 3.5 billion investment pipeline across ports, energy, tourism, industry and infrastructure.

Local officials said the arrival signals tangible progress in restoring Grand Bahama’s industrial base and expanding shiprepair capacity. They highlighted the role major yards play in raising GDP, supporting training, strengthening supply chains and stimulating associated services from logistics to advanced manufacturing.

The drydock is expected to support sustained employment across technical and professional roles. Growth is also projected in accommodation, transport, materials supply, food services and tourism-adjacent sectors as vessel throughput rises. Increased capacity is seen as reinforcing the position of the wider port and logistics cluster.

Local leaders framed the milestone as evidence of renewed investor confidence in the island’s long-term industrial strategy. They said progress in shiprepair capacity will arrive steadily, “piece by piece, dock by dock.”