The new MEST dry dock at Skála in the Faroe Islands is rapidly taking shape and is on schedule to open for business before the end of 2026.
MEST Shipyard’s Head of Sales and Procurement Richard Mortensen commented that the first customers have already booked dock time as soon as new facility is ready.
‘This is a DKK 200 million investment,’ he said. ‘This is all private investment by the four owners of MEST, which prepares us for the future.’
It’s located alongside the current dock – which will remain in operation. This original dock measures 115 by 20 metres, with a 6.50 metre depth, and is no longer able to meet the need of the fishing fleet’s larger vessels.
‘Many of the newer vessels in operation in the North Atlantic have a draught of seven or eight metres. The new dock’s dimensions are 150 metres in length and 30 metres across, with an 11.50-metre depth, so we will be able to accept a much wider range of vessels, especially larger pelagic vessels, and we’re looking to attract customers from Greenland, Canada and Scotland, as well as from the Faroe Islands.’
He added that the new dock incorportates the latest technology, making docking a fast, straightforward process, with an array of hydraulic arms and pumps deployed by a single controller. There’s also a ramp that curves around from the quayside down to the dry dock’s floor, so equipment can be driven straight down to where it’s required.
‘The two docks at the Skála yard will provide a lot more flexibility for our customers,’ Richard Mortensen said.
