Since 1963, the legendary icebreaker Tarmo of Riigilaevastik | Estonian State Fleet has braved the icy waters of the Baltic, ensuring safe passage for countless vessels and maintaining vital trade routes. Built in Finland and proudly serving Estonia since 1993, Tarmo has come to symbolize resilience and dedication in maritime history

Today, Tarmo entered the dock in Tallinn for maintenance, including hull treatment and detailed thickness checks. Repairs will also be carried out on the ship’s bottom and shipside valves, along with installing new log equipment, replacement of the echosounder, and anode swaps

Tarmo is planned to be decommissioned in 2028, marking the end of its long and distinguished service. By then, it will have served 65 years- a remarkable tenure for any vessel!

As icebreaker Tarmo’s retirement approaches, its legacy remains an integral chapter in the maritime history of both Finland and Estonia. We are proud to have maintained Tarmo over the years, ensuring its readiness for icebreaking seasons and helping to preserve its lasting legacy

BLRT REPAIR YARDS Klaipeda has installed the Econowind VentoFoil sails on the ethylene carrier CORAL PATULA, owned by the yards` long-standing partner, Anthony Veder.

This unit is designed to enhance existing propulsion systems by harnessing wind energy, which helps reduce fuel consumption – fuel savings are estimated at around 5%, with the potential to exceed 10% in optimal wind conditions, operational costs, and the overall environmental footprint — an important step towards more sustainable shipping

For us, this project also marks a significant achievement, as Anthony Veder has become the first company to use wind-assisted propulsion on a gas carrier

We are beyond proud to have been part of this project. Exciting to assist our customers in achieving their goals and contribute to shipping sustainability, and we look forward to working on more innovative solutions like this in the future!

While the Rolling Stones made waves with timeless hits, another legend was charting its own course. The DP2 fallpipe vessel ROLLINGSTONE of DEME Group – a world leader in the specialised domains of dredging, marine infrastructure, solutions for the offshore energy market, environmental works and concessions- hit the waters many years ago, and just like the band, it has never slowed down 

Taking on some of the toughest offshore projects, the ROLLINGSTONE has sailed through four decades of service, collecting its own stories. But even legends need a little fine-tuning to keep rocking on, and that’s where we came in
 
Having just completed its 9th special survey at BLRT REPAIR YARDS Klaipeda, the ROLLINGSTONE has undergone life extension, ensuring it’s ready to maintain its legendary performance for many years
 
Like the Rolling Stones’ eternal energy on stage, the ROLLINGSTONE will continue to defy time. This rockstar of the seas is ready for its next tour, stronger than ever. After all, `Time is On Its Side!`

Recently, a group of talented women from various departments across BLRT REPAIR YARDS in Tallinn and its partner companies had the unique opportunity to explore life onboard the Amazoneborg, a vessel owned by Royal Wagenborg, a leading multi-purpose shipping company and the yard`s long-term partner.

This enthusiastic group, representing roles such as dispatchers, assistants to directors, estimators, technologists, office managers, ISM managers, safety | quality managers and financial controllers, had a rare opportunity to experience life at sea.

The visit allowed them to step outside their regular roles and immerse themselves in the day-to-day workings of the vessel and its crew. During the tour, Jan-Willem Ploeg, Superintendent at Royal Wagenborg, and Denis Karakin, Project Manager at BLRT REPAIR YARDS in Tallinn, personally guided the group, showcasing the vessel’s key operational areas, from the engine room to the navigation systems

The visit gave our ladies a deeper understanding of how their shore-based work directly impacts the success and safety of the vessels at sea, while also highlighting the growing presence and influence of women in roles traditionally dominated by men. Experiences like this encourage other women to explore and consider pursuing careers at sea or within the shipyard.

We believe that true success is not just about offering modern infrastructure and professional services – it’s about being a homeyard to our clients, a status earned through hard work and trust.

We are proud to have been chosen by our long-term partner, Royal Wagenborg for the maintenance of the ROERBORG, a 170m general cargo vessel built 10 years ago.

This is the 17th ship in 2024 that we have had the honour of repairing for the Dutch partner, following the successful project completion of 17 other Royal Wagenborg vessels in 2023

The Estonia will celebrate its 33rd anniversary of independence restoration on August 20.

Our longstanding partner, ESL Shipping Ltd, a leading carrier of dry bulk cargo in the Baltic Sea region, has entrusted us with the maintenance of the vessel ALPPILA, making it the first to enter our newly commissioned 180m floating dock!

We mark this significant event by handing over a commemorative trophy to the ALPPILA crew represented by Veli-Matti Iivonen, Juha Leppänen, Joonas Matti Strang, Kristjan Arge, celebrating the teamwork and collaboration that made this drydocking possible ✨

Over the years, we have had the privilege of maintaining several vessels in ESL Shipping`s fleet, including KALLIO, TALI, EIRA, PASILA, and ALPPILA itself

On August 8th, BLRT REPAIR YARDS in Tallinn, a member of BLRT Grupp marked a major milestone with the commissioning of a new floating dock to maintain, repair, and modernise larger vessels.

Built to accommodate Handysize vessels, the floating dock measures 180 meters in length, 30 meters in width, and has a lifting capacity of 10,000 tons. The FD22 was completed at the HAT-SAN Shipyard in Turkey in May 2024.

After all the necessary infrastructure preparations were completed, the FD 22 was transported to Tallinn by the tug Zeus of Finland, operated by Alfons Håkans, and now resides in its home yard, replacing the older floating dock, which measured 155 meters in length and 27 meters in width.

There is growing excitement about the enhanced services and capabilities the new floating dock will offer shipowners visiting the yard in Tallinn.

An official ceremony held on August 8th at Tallinn Shipyard, a ship repair facility operated by BLRT Grupp, marked the commissioning of a new floating dock designed for vessel maintenance, repair, and upgrade services.

The construction of the 180-meter-long and 30-meter-wide floating dock, with a lifting capacity of 10,000 tonnes, was completed at the Hat-San Shipyard in Turkey at the end of May 2024. Once all the necessary infrastructure for the dock installation was completed, and the dock itself was transported to Tallinn by the Zeus of Finland tug, owned by Alfons Håkans, it was positioned in its designated location, previously occupied by the old 155-meter-long and 27-meter-wide dock.

“The construction of the new dock for Tallinn Shipyard is the next stage of the Group’s ship repair investment program, through which we have invested 90 million euros over the past five years. This step propels the holding to a new level, offering shipowners new opportunities to maintain, repair, and upgrade larger vessels in Tallinn, including Handysize vessels. This will considerably enhance the competitiveness of both Tallinn Shipyard and the entire ship repair division of BLRT Grupp,” stated Fjodor Berman, Chairman of the BLRT Grupp Management Board.

“We tend to think of the maritime industry mainly in terms of ships and ports, but, as a matter of fact, this sector has tremendous potential. The commissioning of the new large floating dock at BLRT Grupp’s ship repair yard marks a significant milestone for Estonia’s industrial progress. This investment will substantially expand the yard’s capabilities to service, repair, and upgrade large-capacity vessels. Simultaneously, it will support Estonia’s strategy for developing a hub of environmentally safe and innovative maritime technologies and services. If we approach this wisely, we can transform Estonia into a nation as advanced in maritime technologies as we are today in digital technologies. Such investments make an essential contribution to the implementation of this ambitious plan,” commented the sizeable investment Kristen Michal, Prime Minister of Estonia.

Denis Lazarevs, a Management Board member of Alfons Håkans, a Finnish company providing towage services, noted: “We were excited to transport the new floating dock for BLRT Grupp. The challenging tow from Turkey to Estonia covered a distance of nearly 7,000 kilometres. We are pleased that BLRT Grupp continues to invest in equipment and expand its operations despite the tough economic conditions.” 

BLRT Grupp is one of the largest industrial holdings in the Baltic region. The Group operates Tallinn Shipyard in Estonia, Western Shiprepair in Lithuania and Turku Repair Yad in Finland, providing comprehensive 24/7 vessel repair and upgrade services. These three yards in Estonia, Lithuania and Finland repair, upgrade and service around 300 vessels annually.

Significant improvements are taking place at Turku Repair Yard, one of the BLRT REPAIR YARDS . As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance our facilities in Naantali, Finland, we are reconstructing the graving dock bottom of one of the largest docks in Northern Europe, measuring 265 meters by 70 meters.

We are scheduled to finalize the 160-meter south side by the end of July. Following this milestone, we plan to extend the new area on the south side to 190 meters in August. Additionally, we aim to commence work on the north side during the Autumn.

◾ Flexibility in ship placement

◾ Enhanced safety and environmental standards

◾ Opportunities for robotic water jetting

◾ Easy cleanup after vessel treatment

Graving dock bottom reconstruction is part of our ongoing investment program aimed at modernizing repair yards` infrastructure, ultimately offering greater value and improved services to our customers!