Leadership transition and expansion underway at Grand Bahama Shipyard

Grand Bahama Shipyard Ltd has appointed Retired Rear Admiral Chris Earl as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective May 5th, 2025, following the retirement of Dave Skentelbery after nearly a decade with the company, including eight years as CEO. Earl, a 35-year Royal Canadian Navy veteran, previously led naval and commercial ship repair programmes at Seaspan Shipyards.

Earl’s appointment comes as a USD 600 million shipyard expansion project, backed by shipyard owners Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Corporation, nears completion. The project includes two new floating dry docks, East End and Lucayan, enabling the facility to service the cruise companies’ full range of cruise vessels and most of the global third-party commercial and cruise fleet. East End is scheduled for delivery in November 2025, with full operations expected by January 2026; Lucayan is due in 2026.

The addition is expected to boost Grand Bahama’s economy through job creation and long-term investment. The shipyard has hired 20 new apprentices and is recruiting crane operators in preparation for expanded operations.

“We are close to reassuming our position as a leading, world-class cruise ship repair facility,” said outgoing CEO Skentelbery. “The investment by our shareholders will be a significant boost to the economy of Grand Bahama, providing both direct and indirect employment opportunities.”