Ship Repair Digest
Independent analysis and critical commentary on ship repair, drydocking and fleet decarbonisation — written by engineers, not by a marketing desk.
Balaena-APCL Deal Reshapes UK Repair Capacity and Slot Competition
Balaena’s purchase of APCL brings several major UK yards under one ownership structure, creating a repair and fabrication network with wider geographic reach and greater scale. For shipowners and technical managers, the significance lies less in deal size than in what it may do to docking access, turnaround flexibility, and the balance between defence and commercial work.
Methanol Retrofits Move Toward Scale Despite IMO Policy Uncertainty
Alternative-fuel engine retrofits are advancing faster than the global rulebook. Even without a settled IMO framework, early methanol conversions and rising yard preparedness suggest owners can no longer treat retrofit planning as a distant decarbonisation option.
EU ETS 2026 Is Turning Drydock Timing Into a Carbon Cost Decision
As maritime EU ETS exposure expands in 2026, carbon cost is moving from a compliance line item to a technical planning driver. For many owners, the real decision is no longer whether to retrofit, but whether yard access, off-hire and vessel age justify acting before congestion and regulation compound the bill.
