Balaena acquires UK shipyard network, strengthening Gibdock’s global position

Balaena, the owner of Gibdock, has strengthened its offering for both commercial and defence work with the acquisition of British marine engineering company APCL Group, which operates three ship repair yards in the UK.

The acquisition creates a large British ship repair group which, alongside Gibdock and Padstow Boatyard in Cornwall, now includes A&P Tyne in Tyneside, Cammell Laird in Birkenhead and A&P Falmouth, as well as Falmouth Docks and Engineering Company.

“This strategic acquisition creates a powerful, geographically diverse network of ship repair and shipbuilding facilities, significantly enhancing Balaena’s overall capability and market reach,” Balaena said in a statement.

“For Gibraltar, the development represents an important step forward in strengthening the long-term commercial position of Gibdock as a leading hub for both naval and commercial vessel support.”

By integrating these UK facilities with Gibdock’s established operations, Balaena said it will create “a more agile and competitive platform” capable of serving a wider range of national and international clients.

The expanded group will be better positioned to attract and deliver large-scale maintenance, repair and refit programmes across both defence and commercial shipping sectors.

Gibdock, already recognised for its strategic location at the gateway to the Mediterranean, stands to benefit directly from this enhanced network, Balaena said.

The group said its increased scale and operational flexibility will enable it to compete more effectively for Royal Navy work, allied naval contracts and global commercial shipping business, while offering improved efficiency and service capability.

“This acquisition marks a significant milestone in Balaena’s growth and reinforces our commitment to Gibraltar as a central part of our operations,” said Simon Gillett, Group CEO and founder of Balaena.

“By bringing together these historic UK shipyards with Gibdock and Padstow, under the one Balaena brand, we are creating a stronger, more competitive group that can better serve both naval and commercial markets.”

“For Gibdock, this means greater opportunity, more business, enhanced capability, and a stronger position in the global maritime sector.”

“We are confident that this will deliver long-term benefits for Gibraltar’s economy and its maritime community.”

Balaena has also reaffirmed its commitment to continued investment in skills, infrastructure, and workforce development across all sites, including Gibraltar, “ensuring that Gibdock remains at the forefront of maritime services”.

Balaena said the expansion underlined Gibraltar’s growing importance within a wider UK-linked maritime industrial network and positioned Gibdock to play an even greater role in supporting international shipping and defence operations.