Keel laying at Hat-San Shipyard in Türkiye marks the next phase in the construction of the 200m, 15,000-tonne floating dock destined for Western Shiprepair in Klaipėda
BLRT Grupp has marked another major milestone in the construction of a new floating dock for Western Shiprepair, one of BLRT Repair Yards in Klaipėda, following the keel-laying ceremony for NB26 at Hat-San Shipyard in Türkiye. Held on 5 August, the ceremony marks the project’s transition into the next phase of structural construction.
The ceremony was honoured by the presence of Dr Ahmet Hamdi Usta, Governor of Yalova; H.E. Marius Janukonis, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to Türkiye; Mr Salih Tan, Director General of Coastal Structures at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye; Mr Berat Tunakan, Honorary Consul of Lithuania in Bursa; and Andrejus Babachinas, CEO of BLRT Repair Yards.
They were joined by the project teams whose work has brought NB26 to this important stage.
Following the steel-cutting ceremony held in June 2026, the keel laying confirms the project’s steady progress and represents another significant step towards the delivery of a major new infrastructure asset for Western Shiprepair.
The tailor-made floating dock is being built by Hat-San Shipyard and will measure 200 metres in length and 35 metres in width, with a lifting capacity of 15,000 tonnes. Once completed, it will replace one of the docks currently in operation at Western Shiprepair and expand the yard’s ability to accommodate larger vessels, including Panamax-type ships.
“The keel-laying ceremony is an important milestone in the continued development of BLRT Grupp’s ship repair capabilities. The new dock will expand Western Shiprepair’s capacity, strengthen its ability to accommodate larger and more technically demanding projects, and reinforce BLRT Repair Yards’ position as a reliable long-term partner for customers across the Baltic Sea region and beyond,” said Andrejus Babachinas, CEO of BLRT Repair Yards. “We are pleased that the project is progressing on schedule. BLRT Grupp will celebrate its 115th anniversary in June 2027, so the new dock would make a wonderful anniversary gift,”
The project forms part of BLRT Grupp’s long-term investment programme aimed at modernising and expanding the infrastructure of its ship repair operations in Lithuania, Estonia and Finland. The additional capacity will enable the Group’s yards to handle a greater number of projects and compete for more complex, higher-value repair and modernisation contracts.
The new floating dock is scheduled to enter operation in autumn 2027.
