The Governor of Gibraltar, His Excellency Vice Admiral Sir David Steel, paid a visit to Gibdock, the historic dry dock facility in Gibraltar today. The visit took place to mark the acquisition of the shipyard by The Balaena Group, which incorporates not only Gibdock, but Balaena Offshore Utilities.
Gibdock, declared the best geographically placed shipyard in Europe, was acquired by The Balaena Group in May 2022 with the intention of not only improving the sustainability of the yard but also to use the expertise and facilities at Gibdock to manufacture and operate Balaena Offshore Utilities’ Island Utility Platforms.
The Platforms are Balaena’s unique offering for island and coastal communities globally, giving them much needed solutions for a fresh water supply, sewage treatment and energy from a renewable source.
Bringing the build of these platforms to Gibdock will not only bring more jobs to the peninsula but will firmly put Gibraltar on the global stage for visiting Governments who are keen to become more sustainable and to provide greener utilities for their nations.
His Excellency, a retired Royal Naval officer who served as Second Sea Lord, assumed office in June 2020. This was His Excellency’s first visit to Gibdock, where he was given a tour of the yard and time with The Balaena Groups’ owner and Gibdock’s management team.
Gibdock, which has over 200 employees, operates the best ship repair and conversion facilities in the world from its key geographical location at the entrance to the Mediterranean. It continues to deliver quality products in a safe manner, on a timely basis, whilst building long term partnerships with their clients drawing on their rich heritage of marine engineering skills.
Simon Gillett, Owner of The Balaena Group said “Gibdock is a great business and a great employer for Gibraltar. We want to continue doing what they have always done, but better, in a more environmentally friendly and neighbourly way. To have His Excellency visit, and be able to share our vision with him, and the plans for Balaena Offshore Utilities, is a great honour for me personally, and for Gibdock and Balaena.”
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE. Part of the Balaena Group, Gibdock intends to expand its operational development into a number of new and sustainable growth areas. Gibdock’s mission is to continue operating one of the best Ship Repair and Conversion facilities in the world from its key geographical location at the entrance to the Mediterranean, to deliver a quality product in a safe manner, on a timely basis. Balaena Offshore Utilities
Simon Gillett has been committed to delivering fresh water, wastewater and energy solutions to islands and coastal communities around the world. "I started a renewable energy business in the UK where we were on of the first companies to provide ground mounted solar, biomass and wind renewable energy," Simon said. Balaena intends to extend its environmentally friendly and sustainable values to GibDock. "You are going to see these fantastic environmental products start to come out of the year - all of which will have a made in Gibraltar tag on them." - Gibraltar Business Summer-Autumn 2022 page 35-36
From earlier this year -
25/05/2022 - GibDock Ltd, the current operator of the Historic Dry Docking facility in Gibraltar, has been purchased by a company based in the UK with the intent to expand its operational development into a number of new and sustainable growth areas Balaena Ltd today announced its acquisition of GibDock Ltd and its vision to grow the business over the years ahead in a number of key areas. – https://www.balaena.uk/press
May 25, 2022. The Chief Minister made a statement in Parliament this afternoon confirming that the Government has agreed to the grant of a new lease over the dockyard premises. The new lease has been granted to Balaena Propco Limited, part of the Balaena Limited group of companies who have today announced their acquisition of Gibdock. The Balena group are an offshore utilities business based out of the United Kingdom. The ultimate beneficial owner of these companies is Simon Gillett a British, UK based entrepreneur. https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/press-releases/government-grants-new-lease-over-dockyard-3732022-7989