Tenerife Shipyards Launches Advanced Floating Dock for Panamax Vessels

Tenerife Shipyards has recently introduced a groundbreaking floating dock designed specifically for Panamax vessels, enhancing the ship repair capabilities in the Canary Islands.

Overview of the Panamax Vessel Market

Globally, there are approximately 7,800 to 8,500 Panamax vessels, which are capable of transiting the Panama Canal. Additionally, between 1,300 and 1,700 of these ships are currently under construction. This creates a significant demand for ship repairs, estimated at around 9,100 to 10,200 vessels, a number that the Canary Islands are currently unable to support. However, this scenario is set to change with the introduction of new infrastructure.

Features of the Hidramar Ultra 22,000

On Tuesday, the Hidramar Ultra 22,000 was unveiled, a floating dock that weighs 11,000 tonnes and can accommodate vessels up to 220 metres long, 39 metres wide, and with a draft of approximately eight metres. Its name reflects its impressive deadweight capacity of 22,000 tonnes.

Currently, the Canary Islands lack any similar infrastructure. The existing facilities are limited to a maximum length of 175 metres and a deadweight capacity of 10,000 tonnes at the Astican shipyards located in Gran Canaria. According to sources from Tenerife Shipyards, there are no other ship repair yards capable of servicing Panamax vessels within a 1,300-kilometre radius. The closest alternatives are found in Algeciras, Andalusia, and Setúbal, Portugal.

Strategic Importance and Future Plans

The port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is strategically positioned to tap into a vast market of potential clients. As noted by Mario Suárez, the business director of the Hidramar Group, the Canary Islands serve as a crucial transit point for numerous ships heading to America, northern Europe, or Africa. Many of these vessels exceed the current service capabilities, which presents a significant market opportunity.

The Hidramar Ultra 22,000 was constructed at the Huarun Dadong Dockyard in Shanghai and is expected to arrive in Tenerife between January 31 and mid-February. It is projected to be operational by April or May 2026, marking a pivotal development for both Tenerife and the broader Canary Islands.

During its construction, the floating dock involved the efforts of up to 600 workers over a span of 15 months. It has undergone 2,800 technical inspections to ensure compliance with safety, quality, and reliability standards, as well as meeting the requirements set by Lloyd’s Register for Spanish flagging.

This floating dock is capable of lifting 22,000 tonnes in under two hours, utilizing eight centrifugal pumps with a capacity of 3,000 square metres per hour. This rapid lifting capability is essential for providing shipowners with a competitive advantage by significantly reducing dry-docking time and minimizing potential revenue loss.

Expansion Plans for Granadilla Shipyard

Beyond the floating dock, Tenerife Shipyards has ambitious plans to develop a 250,000 square metre shipyard at the port of Granadilla, which will include nine dry-docking rails for Panamax vessels in the coming years. However, this project has encountered delays due to slow progress at the Granadilla port, leading the Tenerife Port Authority to archive the application for the shipyard’s construction. Despite these challenges, the company remains committed to realizing this vision.

If successfully implemented, this project would enhance the dry-docking capacity of the Canary Islands to accommodate 11 Panamax vessels simultaneously. This increase is vital for diversifying the local economy, retaining skilled workers, providing training opportunities, and fostering industrial growth in the region.

Key points

• Tenerife Shipyards has launched the Hidramar Ultra 22,000, a floating dock for Panamax vessels.
• The dock can accommodate vessels up to 220 metres long and has a deadweight capacity of 22,000 tonnes.
• No similar infrastructure exists within a 1,300-kilometre radius of the Canary Islands.
• The floating dock is expected to be operational by April or May 2026.
• Tenerife Shipyards plans to build a 250,000 square metre shipyard at Granadilla.
• The project aims to increase the Canary Islands’ dry-docking capacity for Panamax vessels.
• The introduction of the dock is anticipated to significantly enhance ship repair capabilities in the region.