The Tribune

Grand Bahama Shipyard has completed overhauls for 28 vessels during the 2026 cruise ship repair season to generate a major economic boost and reinforce the island's position as a top maritime services hub.

The cruise repair season, which typically runs from November through May, is the period when the major lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean schedule major repairs, refurbishments and maintenance projects in preparation for the industry's peak operating months.

Grand Bahama Shipyar said repair teams worked through a demanding schedule to meet customer requirements while maintaining the standards expected by the cruise lines.

"The combination of a demanding repair schedule and the integration of new dry dock infrastructure has made this one of the busiest periods we have experienced in recent years," said Chris Earl, Grand Bahama Shipyard’s chief executive.

"Meeting customer deadlines while maintaining our safety and quality standards required extraordinary effort and commitment from our entire workforce. I am pleased to report that our Bahamian hires during this time increased by 24 percent, and our utilisation of local sub-contractors increased by 65 percent.” 

Grand Bahama Shipyard said that, during the seven-month cruise repair season, more than 15,000 crew members, specialist contractors and sub-contractors associated with vessels undergoing repair were present in Grand Bahama. Their extended stays generated significant economic activity across the island, benefiting hotels, vacation rentals, restaurants, supermarkets, transportation providers and other local businesses.

"Our ability to successfully manage a high volume of projects further strengthens our position as a premier destination for marine repair services in the region," Mr Earl said. In August 2024, the company signed a Heads of Agreement with the Government for the redevelopment and expansion of its facilities, representing a $665m investment in critical infrastructure, new dry dock capacity and long-term employment opportunities for Bahamians.

The first of two new floating dry docks, East End, which measures 357.39 metres in length and 70 metres in beam, arrived in November 2025. The arrival of the East End dock gave the yard two docks to work with this cruise ship repair season, and now the Lucayan dock, which arrived just weeks ago, and is currently undergoing preparations for integration into the yard's operations, will significantly expand capacity. 

The third dock is the largest in the region and will enhance Grand Bahama Shipyard’s ability to service the world's largest cruise and commercial vessels. "We are extremely proud of our operational achievements this season, but our greatest accomplishment remains the people who made them possible," said Mr Earl.

"The dedication, resilience and sacrifice demonstrated by our employees enabled us to meet our commitments and achieve these results. We are deeply grateful for their hard work and unwavering commitment to the success of Grand Bahama Shipyard."