Bahamas nears completion of state-of-the-art “East End” dock, revolutionize shipyard sector

Bahamas is nearing the completion of first of its new dock, revolutionizing the shipyard sector of the island. The dock will be equipped with four state-of-the-art advanced cranes and control systems, aimed at enhancing the overall experiences of all the cruise passengers. 

The first dock named “East End” is 357 meters long, 76 meters wide and capable of lifting to 93,500 tons. The dock is expected to mark a crucial stage in the transformation of the yard. Its ability to accommodate all existing and currently planned cruise ships worldwide, as well as a broad range of other vessels will play a major role in positioning Bahamas as a premier cruise industry. 

Shedding light on the completion of the new dock, the Grand Bahama Shipyard noted that the construction of the new dock will play a major role in boosting the local economy and creating multiple opportunities across the island. 

600 million transformative project marking rapid progress 

The construction and commissioning of two world-class floating docks is a part of the $600 million transformation project undertaken by Bahamas. This project will allow the shipyard to have the largest lifting capacity in the world and service the diverse range of cruise ships, as well as much of the world’s commercial shipping fleet.

The Prime Minister of Bahamas, Philip Davis has also described the expansion project as a new and promising chapter in the cruise industry of Grand Bahama. He added that this advancement coincides beautifully with their efforts to revitalize Grand Bahama’s tourism industry. 

Notably, the first of its new dock is near completion, while the second and larger dock named, “Lucayan” is coming in the second half of next year and will go in service in the final quarter of 2026. The Grand Bahama Shipyard emphasised on the work at the yard, which includes the extension of a pier. The authorities noted that it is well advanced and is all set to receive the dock in November, subsequently go into operation in January 2026.

The CEO of the Grand Bahama Shipyard, Dave Skentelbery also focussed on the transformative project. He added that the construction of these two docks will play a significant role in reassuming their position as a leading world-class cruise ship repair facility. The CEO also highlighted about the investments made by the shareholders and said that it will bring a significant boost to the economy of Bahamas, providing both direct and indirect employment opportunities
 
“We have engaged around 20 apprentices this year. We are also in the process of recruiting crane operators to train for the new docks,” said CEO Skentelbery.