The dock is 5,400 square meters in area, with a lifting capacity of up to 10,000 tonnes.

The company announced that the new floating dock, situated on BLRT Grupp premises, is the largest and most powerful of its kind in Estonia.

The facility took around 18 months to construct, finishing in May, at the Hat-San Shipyard in Turkey, after which it was towed to Estonia by sea (see image).

BLRT says it represents a significant milestone the company's vessel repair investment plan, which has totaled €90 million over the past five years.

Mark Berman, Tallinn Shipyard supervisory board chair, said: "This is a major investment, not only for us but also for Estonia's entire industrial sector."

"The new floating dock allows us to re-fit and service ships with a holding capacity of up to 50,000 tonnes, significantly expanding Estonia's international potential within the maritime industry," Berman went on.

Berman added that the facility also works in a more environmentally friendly way, something increasingly in demand worldwide.

Attending the dock's opening ceremony, Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) stressed that the maritime industry is a sector with significant potential.

The premier said that the dock coming into being also supports Estonia's strategy of development as a hub for environmentally friendly and innovative maritime services. "With smart actions, we can make Estonia as strong of a maritime nation as we are known today as a digital one. Investments like this make a substantial contribution to realizing this ambitious plan,."

BLRT Grupp owns three ship repair yards: Western Shiprepair in Lithuania, and Turku Repair Yard in Finland, as well as Tallinn Shipyard.

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