BLRT Repair Yards Tallinn has completed an extensive repair and upgrade program on Arctic Container Line’s container vessel MV CONESTE.

A key part of the project was the propulsion package. The project introduced fuel-optimised propeller blades and the Dynamic Drive system, both from Berg Propulsion, with the aim of reducing bunker consumption and associated CO₂ emissions by around 20%.

The drydocking scope included CPP overhaul, work on the propeller shaft and stern tube sealing arrangement, inspection and servicing of underwater equipment, as well as hull preparation and coating.

The project extended well beyond the underwater scope. Inside the cargo holds, Tallinn Shipyard specialists carried out steel renewal, with additional steel works continuing during the alongside period.

At the same time, the propulsion control system was upgraded with new control equipment and pitch indication. A main-engine CBV was installed and integrated into the control system, requiring mechanical and electrical integration together with command and feedback signal checks.

With technical management by Myklebusthaug Management AS, the project brought together the vessel’s crew, Tallinn Shipyard specialists and project partners across multiple disciplines.

Following completion of the yard period in Tallinn, CONESTE is now preparing for her next assignment with Arctic Container Line along the Norwegian coast, technically upgraded, more efficient and proudly carrying the polar bear on her side.

Watch CONESTE before and after her yard stay here.

BLRT Repair Yards Klaipėda has completed an extensive multi-discipline repair and maintenance programme on CONNECTOR, Jan De Nul’s specialised DP3 cable-laying vessel. The project was carried out as part of the vessel’s third Special Survey and covered key systems.

CONNECTOR is designed for demanding subsea cable installation and offshore energy projects. Equipped with two cable carousels and two work-class ROVs, the vessel combines significant cable-carrying capacity with DP3 station-keeping capability and specialised offshore equipment.

Her project record includes cable installation works for Thor Offshore Wind Farm in Denmark, the interconnector between mainland Scotland and Hoy, and offshore works in Abu Dhabi, alongside experience on major international offshore energy projects.

For vessels operating in this environment, technical reliability and availability are critical. The maintenance programme in Klaipėda was therefore focused on preparing CONNECTOR’s key systems for the offshore assignments ahead.

The main scope included overhaul of the vessel’s propulsion and thruster systems, service and overhaul of three main engines, chemical cleaning, grit blasting and coating of 35 box coolers, piping works, and maintenance of the 400-tonne and 50-tonne offshore cranes.

The underwater hull underwent a comprehensive coating programme featuring a silicone-based system, while accommodation outfitting and additional class-related works were completed during the vessel’s stay.

Multiple technical disciplines worked in parallel throughout the project, with heavy components dismantled, inspected, serviced and reinstated while Special Survey requirements were integrated into the overall production schedule.

BLRT Repair Yards’ Turku Repair Yard in Naantali has completed repair and maintenance projects on SAANA and ECKERÖ LINK, two vessels with very different yard scopes and operational journeys ahead.

SAANA, managed by the Finnish branch of OSM Thome, entered dry dock for her Intermediate Survey. The yard stay focused on inspection and maintenance work required to support the tanker’s continued safe and reliable operation. Following completion of the project, SAANA is now preparing for her next assignment.

At the same time, passenger/cargo ship ECKERÖ LINK was undergoing a much more visible transition. During her stay at Turku Repair Yard, the vessel’s new identity was applied.

The project has now been completed, and ECKERÖ LINK has returned to service, operating freight and cargo transport between Långnäs in Åland and Naantali on the Finnish mainland.

Happy Independence Restoration Day, Estonia!
The Estonia will celebrate its 35th anniversary of independence restoration on August 20.

Keel Laying Marks Next Milestone in Construction of New Floating Dock for Western Shiprepair

The keel-laying ceremony for NB26 was held at Hat-San Shipyard as construction progressed on the new 200-metre floating dock for Western Shiprepair in Klaipėda.

On 5 August 2026, the keel-laying ceremony for NB26 marked the next major stage in the construction of a new floating dock for Western Shiprepair in Klaipėda, one of BLRT Repair Yards’ three ship repair yards in the Baltic Sea region.
Held at Hat-San Shipyard in Türkiye, the ceremony followed the steel-cutting milestone reached in June 2026 and confirmed the project’s continued progress from initial production into structural assembly.

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 teams from both sides whose work has brought the project to this important stage.

The new floating dock will measure 200 metres in length and 35 metres in width, with a lifting capacity of 15,000 tonnes. It is being built by Hat-San Shipyard on a tailor-made basis for Western Shiprepair.

Once completed, the new dock will replace one of the floating docks currently in operation at the yard in Klaipėda. It will expand ship repair capacity, broaden vessel-handling capabilities and strengthen the group’s ability to accommodate larger vessels, including Panamax-type ships.

The investment forms part of BLRT Grupp’s long-term programme to modernise and develop the infrastructure of its ship repair operations in Lithuania, Estonia and Finland. The additional capacity will support the handling of more projects, enhance the yard’s ability to compete for more technically demanding repair and modernisation contracts, and create opportunities for further growth across related maritime services and supply chains.

The new floating dock is scheduled to enter operation in autumn 2027.

Its commissioning will represent another important step in strengthening BLRT Repair Yards’ position as a trusted ship repair, conversion and modernisation partner for vessel owners operating across the Baltic Sea region and beyond.

Specialists from Western Shiprepair, BLRT Repair Yards Klaipėda, have been recognised for their contribution to the successful modernisation of Sea-Cargo AS’s RoRo vessels TRANS HAV and TRANS SOL.

The recognition was presented during a maritime industry ceremony organised by the Lithuanian Sea Museum and the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority ahead of the annual Klaipėda Sea Festival.
The event honours professionals whose expertise, dedication and work contribute to the development of Lithuania’s maritime sector.

The Western Shiprepair specialists recognised during the ceremony:

• Vitoldas Knieža, Project Manager
• Simonas Keliotis, Commercial Manager
• Dmitrij Tiutikov, Project Planning Manager

As members of the wider project team, all three specialists played an important role in the successful implementation of the TRANS HAV and TRANS SOL modernisation projects for Sea-Cargo AS. Their responsibilities spanned different stages of the projects, from commercial coordination and project planning to technical preparation, project management and execution.

Complex RoRo vessel modernisation in Klaipėda

TRANS HAV and TRANS SOL underwent extensive modernisation at Western Shiprepair in Klaipėda earlier this year. The projects were designed to improve vessel energy efficiency, reduce emissions and support more sustainable RoRo operations.

The modernisation programme included optimised propellers, emissions-reduction equipment, hybrid-ready energy systems, frequency converters, solar panels, covered weather decks and foundations for rotor sail installation.

The projects themselves have already gained international recognition, with TRANS HAV receiving the Shippax RoRo Award 2026 during the Shippax Ferry Conference 2026.

Watch the TRANS SOL Modernisation

The video offers a closer look at the vessel’s transformation and the extensive structural, technical and installation work carried out by the project teams.

BLRT Repair Yards Klaipėda has completed maintenance on MISTRAL BEACON tanker, supporting the vessel’s safe and reliable return to operation.

The project brought together specialists from multiple disciplines, delivering a coordinated scope of repair works to prepare the vessel for her next operational period.

The maintenance program included extensive hull surface preparation and coating work, covering approximately 6,700 m² of underwater hull, vertical sides and topside. The scope also included protective coating renewal, helping maintain hull integrity, operational efficiency and long-term asset protection.

Additional works were carried out on key underwater equipment. The propulsion system was supported by propeller polishing, tailshaft wear measurements and rudder clearance inspections, ensuring reliable performance after dry docking.

Mechanical works included maintenance of engine room ventilation equipment, auxiliary machinery, valves and deck equipment, together with statutory inspections, testing and certification.

Every project is built on close cooperation between the vessel’s crew, the owner’s representatives and the shipyard team. MISTRAL BEACON is another example of how coordinated planning, technical expertise and efficient project execution help minimise downtime and return vessels to service on schedule.

BLRT Repair Yards Klaipėda has completed maintenance of Aurora Cooper, a modern DP2 Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) operated by Aurora Offshore AS, supporting her return to offshore operations.

The project follows recent projects with Aurora Coey and Aurora Sandefjord, strengthening the cooperation between Aurora Offshore AS and BLRT Repair Yards.

Aurora Cooper is a modern vessel designed to support demanding offshore operations. She arrived at the yard with a work scope similar to Aurora Coey, requiring careful coordination between the vessel’s crew, the yard’s production teams, trades, and departments.

The maintenance period involved coordinated work across key systems, supporting her safe and reliable return to service.

Tallinn Shipyard, one of BLRT Repair Yards, held a series of joint emergency response drills in Floating Dock 2 as part of its ongoing commitment to ship repair safety, operational readiness and cooperation with emergency services.

The drills took place in a real shipyard environment and focused on a possible emergency scenario: the rescue of an injured person from a confined compartment inside Floating Dock 2. The exercise included access to a hard-to-reach area, coordination between response teams, initial medical assessment, safe evacuation from the dock, and handover to the ambulance crew.

Floating Dock 2 has recently been part of Tallinn Shipyard’s infrastructure modernisation. The emergency response drills demonstrated that modern shipyard infrastructure must always go hand in hand with trained people, clear procedures and practical cooperation between all parties involved.

The exercise brought together Päästeamet | Estonian Rescue Services Agency crews, Tallinna Kiirabi ambulance crews, operational supervisors, site security and the shipyard’s dock operations team. Each participant played an important role in testing how emergency response works in a complex industrial environment.

Ship repair operations often involve confined spaces, tanks, heavy structures, lifting operations, machinery and simultaneous work by multiple teams. In such conditions, emergency preparedness is an essential part of safe and reliable shipyard operations, and should never be treated as a formality.

The drills helped practise cooperation between external emergency services and the shipyard’s own personnel. Emergency responders brought rescue and medical expertise, while Tallinn Shipyard’s team contributed detailed knowledge of the dock structure, access routes, working environment and operational conditions.

The goal of the training was to improve coordination, strengthen preparedness and make sure that, in the event of a real emergency, people receive the fastest, safest and most effective help possible.

Watch the video and see how the emergency response drill unfolded in Floating Dock 2.

On 2 June 2026, the steel-cutting ceremony for NB26 took place, marking the official start of construction of a new floating dock for Western Shiprepair in Klaipėda, one of BLRT Grupp’s ship repair yards.

This milestone marks the transition from planning to production. It represents another important step in the continued development of BLRT Grupp’s ship repair infrastructure, strengthening the Group’s long-term capacity to serve a wider range of vessels in the Baltic Sea region.

The new floating dock, which will be built by Hat-San Shipyard in Turkey, 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 will significantly expand the yard’s ability to handle larger vessels, including Panamax-type ships.

The project will strengthen ship repair capacity in Klaipėda, broaden vessel-handling capabilities, and support the further development of repair, maintenance, and modernisation services. The new infrastructure asset will also enhance the competitiveness of BLRT Grupp’s ship repair operations by enabling the yard to accommodate a broader range of technically demanding projects.

The new dock is scheduled to enter operation in autumn 2027.