New brand identity for Gibdock

Balaena has renamed Gibdock Ltd as Balaena Gibraltar as part of a wider group rebrand and integration strategy following a series of acquisitions across the UK and Gibraltar ship repair sector.

The announcement was made during a senior management visit to Gibraltar, where the group confirmed that all facilities will now operate under a unified “One Balaena” identity. The restructuring follows Balaena’s acquisition of Gibdock in 2019, Padstow Boatyard in 2025, and most recently the APCL Group, a move intended to strengthen UK and Gibraltar shipbuilding, repair and naval support capacity.

The company said the rebrand reflects an effort to move away from a collection of standalone yards toward a single integrated maritime engineering group. Balaena now operates five major facilities: Balaena Birkenhead, Balaena Falmouth, Balaena Gibraltar, Balaena Padstow and Balaena Tyne.

CEO Simon Gillett said the integration is intended to unlock capacity across the network and improve competitiveness. He stated: “Balaena recognises that each facility has decades of heritage, infrastructure and capability, but for too long many have lacked the visibility and project pipeline they deserved. By bringing them together under one identity, Balaena can align skills, resources, technology and commercial strength across the entire group, allowing every yard to access larger opportunities, support national capability and play a central role in the future of British maritime engineering.”

The group position frames the consolidation as a way to improve project flow and strengthen industrial coordination across its expanded shipyard portfolio.