Investment at Vard Langsten will support newbuild, conversion and service projects while strengthening defence-sector delivery capability
Norwegian shipbuilder VARD will invest in a new floating dock at its Vard Langsten shipyard in Norway as part of a broader strategy to expand capacity and improve operational efficiency across its shipbuilding, conversion and service projects
The investment is also seen as a key element of the group’s growing defence-sector strategy, enhancing VARD’s ability to execute and deliver projects reliably to defence and government customers.
Dock capacity is a critical factor in ensuring predictable delivery and efficient execution across shipbuilding, conversions and service work. By adding a new floating dock, VARD will increase flexibility at Vard Langsten, improve planning and delivery reliability, and reduce reliance on external dock capacity for critical operations. The dock will be built at Vard Shipyards Romania – Tulcea, with construction planned to start in Q3 2026 and completion targeted for Q3 2027.
Cathrine Marti, CEO of VARD, says: “This investment strengthens our execution capability and competitiveness by increasing flexibility and capacity at Vard Langsten. It enhances our ability to plan and deliver reliably across newbuilds, conversions, and service projects, while keeping more critical operations within VARD’s integrated value chain.”
Odd Henrik Iversen, SVP Yard Director at Vard Langsten says: “When we invest in a new floating dock, we are also investing in our people, our execution capability and the competitiveness of VARD as a whole. It gives us day-to-day flexibility and opens new opportunities within service, conversions, and new projects and markets. The new dock enables us to handle more project types and run more projects in parallel. We will also improve logistics between quay, halls and dock, which simplifies execution and increases efficiency.”
VARD is a subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group and one of the major global designers and shipbuilders of specialised vessels. The investment supports VARD and Fincantieri’s ambition to strengthen their position across the value chain. It reinforces VARD’s ability to deliver competitive newbuilds, meet requirements in the defence market, and further develop capacity within service, repair and conversion. It also supports VARD’s ability to follow customers throughout a vessel’s lifetime, from design and building to upgrades, conversions and life-extension projects.
New floating dock key facts
- Maximum lifting capacity: 16,000 tonnes
- Length: 151 metres
- Internal width: 35 metres
